The official minutes of the University of South Carolina Board of Trustees are maintained by the Secretary of the Board. Certified copies of minutes may be requested by contacting the Board of Trustees’ Office. Electronic or other copies of original minutes are not official Board of Trustees' documents.

The Student-Trustee Liaison Committee of the University of South Carolina Board of Trustees met Thursday, September 19, 2003, at 4:00 p.m. in the Carolina Plaza Board Room.

Members present were: Mr. James A. Shuford III, Chairman; Mr. Arthur S. Bahnmuller; Mr. Miles Loadholt; Mr. M. Wayne Staton; Mr. Eugene P. Warr, Jr.; Mr. Mack I. Whittle, Jr., Board Chairman; and Mr. Herbert C. Adams, Board Vice Chairman; Members absent were: Dr. C. Edward Floyd and Mr. Mark W. Buyck, Jr.

Others present were: President Andrew A. Sorensen; Secretary Thomas L. Stepp; Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Dennis A. Pruitt; Vice Provost and Executive Dean for Regional Campuses and Continuing Education Chris P. Plyler; General Counsel Walter (Terry) H. Parham; Director of the Department of Student Life, Division of Student and Alumni Services, Jerry T. Brewer; Vice President for University Advancement T. W. Hudson Akin; Senior Director, Development Office, J. Cantey Health, Jr.; Public Information Officer, Office of Media Relations, Karen Petit; Guest of Arthur Bahnmuller, Brant Bahnmuller and Director of the Office of Public Affairs Russell McKinney.

Student Government Association (SGA) representatives present were: USC Aiken: SGA President Jason Holt; Vice President Steve Miano; Advisor Ahmed Samaha; USC Beaufort: SGA President Jennifer Manley; USC Columbia: SGA President Katie Dreiling; Vice President Zachery Scott; Treasurer Ben Edwards; Chief-of-Staff Ginny Wright; Institutional Affairs Director Prina Tailor; USC Lancaster: SGA President Keisha Brace; Vice President Shureka Blackmon; Secretary Kristy McIlwain; Sophmore Representative Chi'Quita Parker; member Tracey Taylor; USC Salkehatchie: SGA President Chad Webb; Vice President Donald Wynn; Vice President Dana Tedder; Secretary Jennifer Durr; Treasurer Daryl Bartley; members Richard Purvis, EJ Deal; Russell Williams; Cody Britt; Shawn Patrick; Donald Wynn; Matt Ferris; Jamie Fennessy; Diane C. Hardy; Stehanie C. Persianni; Harvey Frison; Sheila Brown; Mary Ann Rivers; SGA Advisors Kathy West and Jane Brewer; USC Spartanburg: Chief-of-Staff Tanya Hylton; USC Sumter: SGA member Trevor Ivey; USC Union: SGA President E. Paige Carwile; Vice President Kristina Adams; Secretary/Treasurer Keely Rogers.

Chairman Shuford called the meeting to order and welcomed those present. He invited Board members and the Administration to introduce themselves. No members of the media were in attendance. Chairman Shuford stated that the agenda had been posted and the press had been notified as required by the Freedom of Information Act; the agenda had been circulated to Committee members; and a quorum was present to conduct business.

Chairman Shuford invited students from each of the represented campuses to introduce themselves.

1. Reporting Procedures for International Students: Chairman Shuford stated that several pieces of federal legislation had been enacted since 9/11; specifically, the USA Patriot Act and the Homeland Security Act. Both pieces of legislation affected how business had been conducted in this country and had impacted the University. He called on Dr. Pruitt who made brief comments about how this federal legislation would impact USC's budget and how USC would work toward compliance. Dr. Pruitt called on Pat Willer, Director of International Programs at USC Columbia, to give a profile of International students at USC and insight on the new reporting regulations.

   Ms. Willer discussed current trends in international education. She stated that the past several years had been very challenging with many requirements which amounted to non-funded mandates. She stated that she was proud of USC for meeting its obligations to the federal government and to its students. Ms. Willer was assisted by Andrayier Holmes, an immigration specialist, and Kitty Kajana, former President of the International Student Association who currently served on SGA in the capacity of International Student Affairs Cabinet officer.

   Ms. Willer gave a brief overview about the International Students at USC. The largest international student enrollments were in Engineering & Information Technology, Business, Science and Mathematics. The Continuing Education Program was a non-degree program for exchange students who attended the University for one semester or one year basis. The majority of students attended the Columbia campus. The USC Columbia International Programs provided support for immigration services to Sumter, Union, Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Aiken, Beaufort, and Spartanburg campuses.

   Based on 2002 data, geographic distributions of international students were from India, China, South Korea, United Kingdom and Romania. Consistent with national trends, approximately 40 percent of international students were from India, China, and South Korea. International graduate students made up 35 percent of the graduate assistant population at USC. Regarding athletics, preliminary figures for Fall 2003 showed that international student athletes at USC had decreased in number by appropriately 100 students.

   International Programs for Students contributed to USC in several ways: graduate students provided support for the USC research mission; gave an inter- national dimension to academic programs and campus life; and provided diversity that would not otherwise be available in South Carolina. Twenty-five international students and twenty-five American students lived together in South Quad Residence Hall as suite mates. They worked, studied, cooked, watched international films, and engaged in a host of other activities throughout the year.

   "Thinking Globally" was a program developed to present an international dimension to University 101 classes, in part, because of the relatively small undergraduate population of international students.

   Exchange students provided institutional exchange opportunities for USC students. USC's oldest exchange, begun in 1965, was with a university in England.

   Graduate Assistants provided research and teaching support and international students were a source of external scholarships/fellowship funding. International students were required by law to be enrolled full-time; they paid non-resident tuition and a portion of the administrative service provided through the international student enrollment fee.

   Based on research conducted by the Institute of International Education, the estimated economic contribution to South Carolina from International Student Programs was $65,315,000. This figure reflected the amount after institutional support had been deducted. The estimated national economic contribution was $12 billion.

   SEVIS (Student in Exchange Visitor Information System) was an Internet-based reporting system wherein the University provided information to the federal government concerning international students on campus. SEVIS had been used to produce documents that students needed to enter into the country and to assist students in applying for visas. The University had purchased additional software that could interface with the student database to enable information to be uploaded in a timely manner to the government. Certification and initial registration had been completed and was due August 1st. Semester and event reporting would be completed on a regular basis. Other issues international students faced were visa delays due to State Department policy changes requiring applicants to be interviewed at each embassy, as well as additional security checks and Social Security card delays. Delays could range anywhere from 30 days to 6 months.

   National trends indicated that the international education market share for the United States had declined from 40 percent to 32 percent in the last decade.

   In summary, Dr. Pruitt stated that since 1948, America had experienced a continual increase in the number of international students coming into this country. However, since 9/11 there had been a 27 percent decline in the number of applications approved for visas and 63,000 fewer students coming into this country. USC faced competition with Britain, Canada, and Australia; therefore, the University had to work harder to recruit students and to comply with the federal government in order to ensure that students had the opportunity to come to this country. Dr. Pruitt stated that one more horrific incident like 9/11 and the USA could close its borders even more. USC officials hoped that the international population would continue to grow on all of the campuses and that USC would continue to comply with new federal regulations.

   Chairman Shuford stated that the report was received as information.

2. Report of Cooperation Among SGA Presidents to Promote Higher Education: Katie Dreiling, President of the Columbia campus student body, welcomed student representatives from the regional campuses. Ms. Dreiling stated that higher education in South Carolina faced major concerns. Budget cuts and rising tuition were concerns for all USC students. Ms. Dreiling stated that she and others had met with Presidents and Administrators from various colleges in South Carolina. There was interest in collaboration among the students at these institutions and a plan for a statewide Student Government Association which would connect all the state institutions together. Ms. Dreiling stated this plan was a wonderful forum for lobbying and addressing issues that affected all students from each institution. A meeting had been scheduled for February 2004. Some of the topics that would be discussed in the meeting included: lay the foundation and framework for an alliance; open up the lines of communication among all of the state institutions; create mechanisms for launching the Alliance and successful work by it.

   The name for the organization was the SCSLA (South Carolina Student Leaders Alliance); possibly, that name could change once the meeting was held in February.

   Ms. Dreiling stated that the formation of a statewide program was a positive step toward giving students a voice; she welcomed any assistance from the Board in the formation of the Alliance. Ms. Dreiling stressed the importance of unity between Columbia and regional campuses. In the past, there had not been a communication network among all representatives on the regional campuses. To increase communication among the campuses, she would establish a network of presidents.

   President Sorensen supported Ms. Dreiling's proposal and requested her to submit a budget for expenses that might be incurred; also, he offered to host a luncheon/dinner or both for the February meeting.

   Chairman Shuford thanked Ms. Dreiling and commended her efforts in increasing the communication and collaboration in student government and with other universities and colleges in South Carolina. He wished her luck in the lobbying efforts.

3. Reports from Campuses: Chairman Shuford requested reports from representatives of each campus and he asked the student government presidents to state some of the successes and challenges in their institution.

   1. USC Aiken - Jason Holt, SGA president, reported that USC Aiken had begun the new housing groundbreaking which was expected to house more than 300 students on campus. USC Aiken was pleased to announce that enrollment had increased 2.5 percent this year.

      Secondly, state legislation had passed requiring all education majors to have an additional 100 hours of observation prior to graduation and prior to their student teaching internship. Students from USC and across South Carolina would be affected by this new legislation.

      The dedication of the new baseball stadium had been recently held; groundbreaking for the Convocation Center would begin May 2004. Trustee Miles Loadholt stated that he had attended the dedication of the baseball stadium and it was a magnificent facility. He encouraged everyone to visit the facility.

   2. USC Beaufort - Prior to giving a report, Jennifer Manley, SGA President, introduced Dr. Joan Lemoine, Vice Chancellor for Student Development, and Nicole Harper, Director of Student Life. Ms. Manley stated that recently the school celebrated groundbreaking for the New River Campus. One of the buildings under construction would house the administration offices, classrooms and a temporary library. The maintenance building was under construction and would be followed by the Science and Technology building, and finally the Library.

      In memory of 9/11, students had held a dramatic reading and invited the local Beaufort and Port Royal Fire Departments to attend. Also in attendance was the USC Beaufort Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, other faculty, students and community members. Representatives from the fire departments were very excited, receptive and requested to participate again next year.

      USC Beaufort had opened a new bookstore and Club Fest would be held October 1. Ms. Manley stated that she looked forward to promoting Student Life and activities.

      One of the challenges for USC Beaufort was the lack of space to host events; a success for the campus was the fact that enrollment had increased to 1,200 students.

      Chairman Shuford stated that the groundbreaking ceremony for the New River campus was outstanding and he congratulated the USC Beaufort students on their progress.

   3. USC Columbia - Ms. Katie Dreiling, SGA President, reported that in an effort to increase student life on the Columbia campus, several new projects had been initiated. The Readership Program was a pilot program that would last approximately four weeks and would bring three types of newspapers to students. She hoped the project would continue in years to come. Secondly, they were working with Parking Services to update the shuttle stops and bringing a new GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) System to campus. Finally, extra lighting would be added on directory maps located in various areas on campus.

      Recently, the Columbia campus had experienced a computer virus. Efforts were being made to collaborate with Computer Services to devise a long term solution involving the Resident Assistants (RAs). Each RA would be required to attend a 1.5 hour computer training class so they would be able to clear all computers in each residence hall; this would be a tremendous help to the Computer Services staff in the event there were future viruses.

      Chairman Shuford inquired about students' reaction to the newly renovated Russell House. Ms. Dreiling responded that the only complaint she had heard was that "everyone was in there all the time."

   4. USC Lancaster - Ms. Keisha Brace, SGA President, stated that they had held a Back-to-School Bash, Health Fair and a 9/11 memorial service. Challenges included: maintaining a higher student enrollment and helping students who were having difficulty deciding which classes to take in order to receive a four-year degree from the newly created Palmetto College.

      Dr. Sorensen suggested Ms. Brace address her concerns about the Palmetto College to Dr. Plyer following the meeting.

   5. USC Salkehatchie - Mr. Chad Webb, SGA President, stated that the campus was off to a great start with the election of senators. The Convocation exercise was held on September 4; it was a great success and everyone enjoyed President Sorensen and Dr. Plyler.

      The campus enrollment had increased for Fall 2003; SGA had held several fun activities to attract students such as back to school parties. Mr. Webb expressed that students were very proud of the faculty. On a recent survey conducted by the marketing committee, students cited "caring faculty" as one of the main reasons they enjoyed attending Salkehatchie. The faculty was also very involved in research. To recognize faculty, the SGA held elections in the Spring of each year to choose the "Outstanding Professor of the Year."

      The Leadership Center program was known statewide for providing leadership training to residents of five counties. The SGA goal was to continue to recruit students and to increase student enrollment on campus. Due to budget cuts, some programs had been eliminated (i.e., the Civic Arts Center and the baseball program). Mr. Webb stated that, overall, the state of the USC Salkehatchie campus was good. He extended an invitation to the Board of Trustees to visit the campus.

   6. USC Spartanburg - Richard Marzouka, SGA President, highlighted activities that had taken place on the campus. The new Residence Hall was scheduled for completion and would be opened January 2004. It would house 350 residents. Renovations and expansions of the Campus Life Center would be completed this fall; plans to renovate Food Services and the Book Store had been initiated. Architectural plans were well underway for the Wellness and Fitness Center which was scheduled to open next year. Also, roadways were being expanded on campus and the beautification process was continuing. A record number of students had enrolled and there were approximately 4,500 students for Fall 2003. The Baseball Stadium was nearly completed as well as the first phase of the tennis courts. Currently, Spartanburg was in collaboration with Spartanburg Tech, Wofford College, Spartanburg Methodist College, Converse College and the Spartanburg Downtown Association to hold the first college consortium on October 25, 2003. This event would kick off several events for students and focused on student recruitment in the Spartanburg community.

      In conclusion, USC Spartanburg was concerned about budget cuts and tuition increases.

   7. USC Sumter - Trevor Ivey, a committee member of the Sumter SGA, reported on behalf of Ms. Joanne Brown, SGA President, who was unable to attend due to a prior commitment. Mr. Ivey stated that the 2003-2004 academic school year had a great start with the successful transition into the recently acquired and newly renovated Arts and Letters building. It housed the Arts and Letters Division, Maintenance, and Shipping and Receiving. This allowed the disposition of the last two portable structures on campus.

      There were six days of "Welcome Week" activities which included: "Lunch with the Faculty"; "Carnival Day"; "Football Ticket Sales"; "Making College Count" and "Build Your Own Ice Cream Sundae." MAD (Making A Difference) Friday commenced on Day Six which was a service/fun program and consisted of painting new picnic tables. MAD Friday was held once a month and was made up of community service projects throughout the greater Sumter community.

      Several challenges were being addressed. With the help of students, the Admissions Services Office had begun attending local area high school football games to promote the University and plans were underway for the annual Halloween carnival which brought together the University, parents, and the community. Also, the Sumter Campus was without a permanent provider of hot food service. Chick Filet had served chicken sandwiches and salads on Wednesdays; negotiations were underway with several private companies interested in providing hot food service to the students.

      Flooding was another problem the campus faced. After increment weather, flooding of sidewalks and breezeways made it difficult for students to get to some classes. Students hoped that the Administration could raise the sidewalks to allow better access to the buildings until a more permanent solution could be reached. Another challenge that was common to many campuses was the degree of student involvement. The main objective for the Sumter campus was to be readily available for students encountering problems with professors; therefore, allowing SGA to act as mediator between the two parties involved was being discussed.

      Mr. Ivey thanked President Sorensen and the Board of Trustees for their continued faithful dedication and service to the University System as a whole. He stated that students were very optimistic about the possibility of the Sumter campus acquiring four year status. In conclusion, the first Town Hall meeting will be held October 1, 2003; Dean Carpenter will attend to respond to questions.

      Chairman Shuford requested that Mr. Ivey meet with Trustee Bahnmuller following the meeting to address the flooding issue; Mr. Bahnmuller would then contact Building and Grounds Committee representatives.

   8. USC Union - Ms. Paige Carwile, SGA President, reported that their campus serviced students from Laurens, Newberry, Cherokee and Union counties. The student body had been encouraged to write at least one letter to their legislative representative. Several problems the campus faced included the fact that student enrollment had decreased by 54 from the spring semester and there was a need for a TV in the Student Lounge. To increase student enrollment, visits were being made to local high schools to promote the University and recruit students.

      Chairman Shuford thanked Ms. Carwile and stated that all students' reports were received as information.

      President Sorensen commended all student representatives for their reports and student activities and invited them to converse with him during his visits to their respective campus.

There being no further business to come before the Committee, Chairman Shuford declared the meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Thomas L. Stepp
Secretary