Charleston Southern University

THE UNIVERSITY'S MISSION IS TO PROMOTE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN A CHRISTIAN ENVIRONMENT.

INSTRUCTION: FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2022-23, ENROLLMENT WAS 3,060 UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS COMPLETING TRADITIONAL, ONLINE, AND HYBRID COURSES. 710 DEGREES (482 UNDERGRADUATE, 187 GRADUATE, AND 41 DOCTORAL) WERE CONFERRED DURING THE YEAR, AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FULL-TIME PROFESSORS WAS 202 INCLUDING DEANS AND ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTEES. WE OFFERED 82 UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AND 23 GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS. CHARLESTON SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY IS REGIONALLY ACCREDITED BY THE SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS COMMISSION ON COLLEGES (SACSCOC), WHOSE MISSION IS TO "ASSURE THE EDUCATIONAL QUALITY AND IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ITS MEMBER INSTITUTIONS". CSU IS IN GOOD STANDING WITH SACSCOC AND OUR NEXT SACSCOC FULL 10-YEAR REVIEW WILL OCCUR IN 2026-27. CSU OFFERED 3083 COURSES INCLUDING 474 ONLINE AND 125 GRADUATE COURSES DURING THE 2022-23 ACADEMIC YEAR. THE UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT RETURN OF FULL-TIME TRADITIONAL STUDENTS WHILE EXPANDING PROGRAM OFFERINGS FOR NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS. U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT EVALUATED MORE THAN 1,800 PROGRAMS LAST YEAR AND ONCE AGAIN, CSU IS THE TOP-RANKED PROGRAM IN SOUTH CAROLINA FOR ONLINE BACHELOR'S PROGRAMS FOR VETERANS, RANKING NO. 22 NATIONALLY AND NO. 1 IN SOUTH CAROLINA. OVERALL, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN IS RANKED NO. 39 NATIONALLY FOR BEST ONLINE BACHELOR'S PROGRAMS AND NO. 2 IN SOUTH CAROLINA. DEANS, SENIOR ADMINISTRATORS, AND FACULTY MEMBERS ARE CONTINUALLY IN TOUCH WITH LOCAL EMPLOYERS, MANY OF WHOM SERVE ON OUR ADVISORY BOARDS FOR THE VARIOUS COLLEGES AND DIVISIONS, INCLUDING BUSINESS, EDUCATION, NURSING, AND COMPUTER SCIENCE. CSU CONTINUES TO DEVELOP NEW PROGRAMS TO INCREASE WORKFORCE READINESS THROUGH INTERNSHIPS. AS THE PREFERENCE FOR REMOTE WORKING CONTINUES, WE HAVE FOUND MORE EMPLOYERS ARE SEEKING TO ENROLL THEIR EMPLOYEES IN ONLINE CLASSES TO ENHANCE THEIR MASTERY OF TECHNOLOGY VIA THE INTERNET. WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE ENROLLMENT IN OUR BS IN AERONAUTICS DEGREE PROGRAM. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 70 STUDENTS TAKING THESE CLASSES. WE CONTINUE TO REVIEW THEIR INTEREST LEVELS IN SPECIFIC AREAS AND HAVE UPFITTED AN ON-CAMPUS SIMULATION LAB FOR THE LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS INTERESTED IN PURSUING THIS DEGREE. THE PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW WITH A NEW COHORT OF 48 STUDENTS ENTERING THE PROGRAM EACH MAY. THE HEALTH SCIENCE BUILDING WAS FITTED WITH THE APPROPRIATE EQUIPMENT IN THE LABORATORIES AND CLASSROOMS THAT WILL ENHANCE THE ABILITIES TO CONDUCT RESEARCH AND PRACTICE NEW SKILLS. SIMILARLY, THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE A GROWING PROGRAM WITH HIGH LEVELS OF COMPETITION FOR ADMISSION. CSU FACULTY AND STAFF REMAIN INVOLVED WITH THE TRIDENT ADVISORY BOARD, TRIDENT UNITED WAY LITERACY PROGRAM, THE LOWCOUNTRY STEM COLLABORATIVE, AND THE CHARLESTON METRO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES WHO HAVE A LOCAL PRESENCE. THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION HAS ALSO PARTNERED WITH LOCAL PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS TO OFFER DUAL ENROLLMENT TO STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN TRANSFERRING TO CSU AFTER THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL. THE TEACHER CADET PROGRAM REPORTED 180 STUDENTS ENROLLED, REMAINING ONE OF THE LARGEST PROGRAMS IN THE STATE.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT: THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY (APPROXIMATELY 250,000 VOLUMES HELD) PROVIDES ONLINE AND IN-PERSON SUPPORT FOR THE PRINCIPAL ACADEMIC DIVISIONS. THE L. MENDEL RIVERS LIBRARY INCLUDES A COFFEEHOUSE, JAVA CITY, ON THE MAIN FLOOR AND SEVERAL SMALL STUDY ROOMS AVAILABLE BY RESERVATION FOR STUDENTS ON THE SECOND FLOOR. CHARLESTON SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS MAY ACCESS THE INTERNET WITHIN LIMITATIONS TO FACILITATE DIVERSITY AND PERSONAL GROWTH IN TECHNOLOGY, INFORMATIONAL RESEARCH SKILLS, COMPLETE ONLINE CLASSES AND EXAMS, AND PRACTICE NETIQUETTE AND ONLINE COMMUNICATION SKILLS. THE LIBRARY IS ALSO A DEPOSITORY OF US GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS, A MEMBER OF PASCAL, THE STATEWIDE ACADEMIC LIBRARY CONSORTIUM, AND PROVIDES FREE RESEARCH AND INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES TO STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, AND GUESTS. INTERNET ACCESS IS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE TO ALL STUDENTS IN THE COMPUTER LABS AND LIBRARY EXCEPT FOR PRE-DETERMINED LAB FEES THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR SOME CLASSES. CSU IS A COMPLETELY WIRELESS CAMPUS, PROVIDING ACCESS IN THE RESIDENCE HALLS FOR ALL REGISTERED RESIDENT STUDENTS. WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF E-BOOKS AND ELECTRONIC DATABASES AS MORE OF THE ACADEMIC LITERATURE IS BECOMING AVAILABLE ONLINE RATHER THAN IN PRINTED FORMAT. EVERY STUDENT, STAFF, AND FACULTY MEMBER HAVE FULL ACCESS TO CLASSROOM TOOLS TO FACILITATE STUDY INDIVIDUALLY OR IN GROUPS AS WELL AS ATTEND CLASSES VIRTUALLY. THE REFERENCE DESK IS ALWAYS STAFFED IN PERSON AND ONLINE FOR STUDENT ASSISTANCE AND OUR LIBRARY STAFF ARE ALL CREDENTIALED AND GRANTED FACULTY STATUS.

STUDENT SERVICES: CONSISTS OF CAMPUS MINISTRIES, CAREER CENTER, COUNSELING SERVICES, RECREATIONAL SERVICES, RESIDENCE LIFE, COMMUNITY SERVICE, STUDENT DIVERSITY, AND STUDENT ACTIVITIES. THE ENROLLMENT SERVICES OFFICE IS HOUSED IN THE HUNTER CENTER. ENROLLMENT SERVICES IS COMPRISED OF THE FOLLOWING: ADMISSIONS (UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE), FINANCIAL AID, VA SERVICES, ENROLLMENT OPERATIONS, AND STUDENT EMPLOYMENT. IN ADDITION, THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE, STUDENT ACCOUNTS OFFICE, AND THE CASHIER'S WINDOW IS HOUSED IN THE STUDENT CENTER OFFERING A "ONE-STOP" SERVICE CENTER FOR NEW AND CONTINUING STUDENTS. THE ENROLLMENT SERVICES OFFICE HANDLES ALL UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE RECRUITING. THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE HANDLES MULTIPLE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS FOR MORE THAN 40,000 PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS ANNUALLY, RESULTING IN MORE THAN 1,400 NEW STUDENTS EACH YEAR. THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE PROCESSED MORE THAN $87 MILLION OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND INSTITUTIONAL FINANCIAL AID FOR MORE THAN 3,400 STUDENTS DURING THE 2022-23 ACADEMIC YEAR. APPROXIMATELY NINETY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE UNIVERSITY'S UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION RECEIVES SOME TYPE OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. CHARLESTON SOUTHERN HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR THE FOLLOWING: ONE OF AMERICA'S 100 BEST COLLEGE BUYS, A COLLEGE OF DISTINCTION, ONE OF AMERICA'S BEST CHRISTIAN COLLEGES, AND A U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT BEST ONLINE COLLEGE. THE UNIVERSITY CONTINUES TO PROMOTE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN A CHRISTIAN ENVIRONMENT. IN ADDITION, CSU IS PROUD TO BE DESIGNATED A MILITARY FRIENDLY SCHOOL BY VICTORY MEDIA, WHICH PUBLISHES THE PREMIERE MILITARY PERSONNEL MAGAZINE GI JOBS. IN KEEPING WITH ITS MISSION TO SERVE THE MILITARY POPULATION, THE UNIVERSITY HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM FOR MORE THAN NINE YEARS. APPROXIMATELY 320 VETERANS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS WERE CERTIFIED TO RECEIVE GOVERNMENT BENEFITS FOR THE 2022-23 ACADEMIC YEAR.

AUXILIARY ENTERPRISES: THE UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE HALLS, DINING HALL, AND CAMPUS BOOKSTORE ARE THE MAJOR AUXILIARY ENTERPRISES SERVING THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY. OUR DINING HALL, JAVA CITY, BUC STOP DINER AND CHICK-FIL-A EXPRESS ARE OPERATED AND MANAGED BY ARAMARK, AND OUR BOOKSTORE IS OPERATED AND MANAGED BY SLINGSHOT. SINCE THE OF SUMMER 2021, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE S.C. BAPTIST CONVENTION TO PROVIDE THEIR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT CAMP CALLED SUMMERSALT AND THEIR 3RD-5TH GRADE CAMPS CALLED KIDSALT. AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, WE ALSO HOST ONE LARGE CHURCH CAMP FOR THE CHURCH AT THE MILL. WE ARE EXPECTING APPROXIMATELY 3500-4000 CHILDREN AND YOUTH FROM ACROSS S.C. TO MEET ON OUR CAMPUS EACH SUMMER. WE ALSO ARE THE PRIMARY SPONSOR FOR STUDENT LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY (SLU) - A YOUTH LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE THAT PROVIDES LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN FLORIDA, TEXAS, WASHINGTON DC, EUROPE, AND ISRAEL. THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY IS PROVIDED BY CSU ALUM DR. JAY STACK.