The College of Charleston Board of Trustees voted to approve the following position statement at its meeting on March 22.

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
STATEMENT OF POSITION BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The College of Charleston is a nationally ranked public liberal arts and sciences university existing since 1770.  The College is one of three public four-year universities located in Charleston, along with The Citadel and the Medical University of South Carolina (hereafter, “MUSC”).

These Charleston institutions currently grant undergraduate and master’s degrees.  The College and The Citadel are limited by law and regulation from granting doctoral degrees, while MUSC is only permitted to grant doctoral degrees in the medical fields.

In 2013, a committee, made up of business leaders and representatives from MUSC and the College, met over several months and explored expanded collaborative opportunities.  Recently, the South Carolina House and Senate received legislation aimed toward combining the College and MUSC.

The College’s Board of Trustees (hereafter, “Board”) hereby adopts the following as its Position:

  • The College has a unique historical identity, and the Board has an obligation to preserve and protect the College’s identity.
  • The Board is committed to forever preserving and protecting “College of Charleston” as the undergraduate name of this institution.
  • The Board is grateful for the endeavors by the S. C. General Assembly and other interested parties to significantly improve higher education in Charleston and in South Carolina.
  • The Board is committed to meeting the needs of our vibrant and growing economy by facilitating greater research activity at the College and, where appropriate, developing new academic programs to include new graduate programs.
  • The College should maintain its commitment to the undergraduate liberal arts and sciences and to its student-focused community.
  • The Board should be an active participant in discussions to enhance higher education opportunities aligned with the transformation of expanding business environments.
  • The Board requests the authorization to offer targeted doctoral programs for the purpose of meeting economic development and research needs.
  • The Board understands that any expansion of the College’s research and academic activities, including new degree programs, will require additional financial resources, along with careful planning, the support and approval of the College faculty and administration, and the support and approval of the Commission on Higher Education.
  • The Board will continue to support existing collaborations and pursue new collaborations with other higher education institutions.