University of South Carolina
PAE-2: Strategic Plan

The Focus Carolina Strategic Plan was updated in December, 2011. As the Flagship University of South Carolina, our graduates will advance the state socially, economically and politically. Part of the vision is to strive to “apply knowledge and problem solving to enhance the quality of life and sustainability for South Carolinians and the nation”, and that the campus will “strive for the highest standards in leadership, sustainability, global thinking (and) interdisciplinary scholarship”. Thematic areas identified for interdisciplinary service learning and community service include the environment and sustainability and stress energy as an area for community engagement and public service. The Strategic Plan calls for a focus on innovation and specifically two key research areas: Sustainability, the environment and our state’s ecosystem; and Sustainable energy and alternate fuels, including hydrogen, hydrogen fuel cells, solid oxide fuel cells; alternative energy, including catalysis for renewable fuels, biomass, photovoltaic, and other green energy sources; and nuclear energy.

As the Flagship University of South Carolina, our graduates will advance the state socially, economically and politically. The Strategic Plan identifies a campus that encourages fostering a campus environment that promotes diversity and welcomes faculty, staff and a student body of all races, creeds and cultures as we address the needs of an increasingly diverse population and a global economy; and connecting with and providing excellent and meaningful service to its communities, state, nation and the world. The plan specifically includes in our core values: - Respect for the dignity of all persons - Respect for rights and property of others - Celebration of differences in people, ideas and opinions - Concern for others, their feelings and their need for conditions which support their work and development The plan calls for improving the quality of life for the campus community as well as for all South Carolinians and provide outreach to advance the educational attainment at all levels and guide economic development. Specific initiatives include improving compensation, benefits and diversity. Additional strategies include increasing individual diversity, developing an academic environment that welcomes diversity of concepts, ideas and approaches, and our continued commitment to admit, teach and serve every qualified South Carolinian. A specific example of addressing a population on campus includes making graduate assistant stipends, tuition abatements and health insurance for all graduate assistants competitive with those at other comprehensive research universities. A second includes the expansion of benefits to domestic partners.

As the Flagship University of South Carolina, our graduates will advance the state socially, economically and politically. To support the competiveness and performance of the University, we will improve our administrative, technological and physical research infrastructure system to increase our performance. The Plan calls for using our research to grow University-industry collaborative research activities. The budget model will be examined and changed to direct more sources to research, scholarship and achievement. Our outreach will guide economic development. Compensation and benefits of staff and faculty will be addressed and expanded to include graduate students. Investment in the physical campus and deferred maintenance and safety will be addressed through a new plan, financing and monitoring. The campus will focus on innovation and economic development through the SmartState™ Center of Economic Excellence Program Endowed Chairs and Center and increase the number of start-up companies and the number of jobs created by these start-up companies in order to support the state economy.