{"id":943,"date":"2020-05-21T19:15:20","date_gmt":"2020-05-21T19:15:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/?page_id=943"},"modified":"2023-02-23T21:51:36","modified_gmt":"2023-02-23T21:51:36","slug":"letter-from-the-chancellor","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/letter-from-the-chancellor\/","title":{"rendered":"Letter from the Chancellor"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pl-943\"  class=\"panel-layout\" ><div id=\"pg-943-0\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-943-0\" ><div id=\"pgc-943-0-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-943-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_bcn_widget widget_breadcrumb_navxt panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"0\" ><div class=\"breadcrumbs\" vocab=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/\" typeof=\"BreadcrumbList\"><!-- Breadcrumb NavXT 7.2.0 -->\n<span property=\"itemListElement\" typeof=\"ListItem\"><a property=\"item\" typeof=\"WebPage\" title=\"Go to Up Magazine.\" href=\"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\" class=\"home\" aria-current=\"page\"><span property=\"name\">Up Magazine<\/span><\/a><meta property=\"position\" content=\"1\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-943-1\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-943-1-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-943-1-0-0\" class=\"widget_text so-panel widget widget_custom_html panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"1\" ><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><hr><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-943-2\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" ><div class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-943-2\" ><div id=\"pgc-943-2-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-943-2-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<div class=\"mobile-image\" data-wp-editing=\"1\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-12505\" style=\"padding:20px;\" src=\"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Harris_Portrait-300x251.jpg\" alt=\"Profile photo of Dr. Benny Harris\" width=\"330\" height=\"276\" srcset=\"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Harris_Portrait-300x251.jpg 300w, https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Harris_Portrait.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"mobile-content\">\n<p>The university community began to Reimagine Upstate in the fall of 2021 to elevate USC Upstate to greater heights of service and influence. With that energy infusing our work, I am pleased to say that 2022 was a great year!First, the <strong>university is financially sound<\/strong> because of campus-wide efforts to right-size our budget and substantial new support from the South Carolina General Assembly, which appropriated $3.4 million for tuition mitigation, a library addition totaling $21 million, and $3 million for deferred maintenance at USC Upstate. Investments in the university are investments in the future of the state: 85% of USC Upstate alumni live and work in South Carolina, and the university generates a $500 million economic impact.<\/p>\n<p>Our <strong>academic program<\/strong> is unsurpassed for excellence! USC Upstate was reaccredited in March with no recommendations by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the toughest regional accrediting body in the nation. This wonderful outcome demonstrates the quality and leadership of our exceptional faculty and staff.<\/p>\n<p>New or recently added features of our academic program detailed in these pages include a new <strong>Translation and Interpretation<\/strong> minor, the only one in South Carolina to teach both skills to undergraduates; the return of our <strong>Study Abroad<\/strong> program with a new partnership that expands students\u2019 choices; and the exciting new <strong>University Crime Analysis Center<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>As we seek to provide an \u201ceducation for all that inspires a thriving and just society,\u201d 2022 saw us create new programs to make the university more accessible. The <strong>Spartanburg Promise Scholars Program<\/strong> offers debt-free bachelor\u2019s degree programs for up to 90 Spartanburg County-area high school graduates; the South Carolina Promise Scholarship creates a bridge for students from the Hope Scholarship as freshmen to the Life Scholarship as sophomores; and the Aspire Scholarship assists students whose finances might keep them from returning to school without extra help.<\/p>\n<p>New scholarships have also been established by a grant from the <strong>National Science Foundation<\/strong> and gifts from <strong>Prisma Health<\/strong> and <strong>Denny\u2019s Corp<\/strong>. And <strong>Amazon<\/strong> has selected USC Upstate as a partner in its Career Choice program, which pays tuition for its employees to earn a degree or learn new skills at the university.<\/p>\n<p>If that\u2019s not exciting enough, the rising enthusiasm for the university was on full display as thousands of USC Upstate fans descended on downtown Spartanburg for <strong>Morgan Square Madness<\/strong>, the tipoff of the new basketball season, and our reimagined <strong>Family Weekend<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>I am thrilled to be part of the USC Upstate community and look forward to an even more exciting 2023. Thank you for all you do for our students. Go Spartans!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-12508\" src=\"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Harris-Signature-300x73.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"247\" height=\"60\" srcset=\"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Harris-Signature-300x73.jpg 300w, https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Harris-Signature.jpg 324w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 247px) 100vw, 247px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Bennie L. Harris, Ph.D.<br \/>\nChancellor<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-943-2-0-1\" class=\"widget_text so-panel widget widget_custom_html panel-last-child\" data-index=\"3\" ><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><hr><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pgc-943-2-1\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-943-2-1-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"4\" ><div class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-943-2-1-0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><h3 class=\"widget-title\">ADMINISTRATION<\/h3>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p><strong>Bennie L. Harris, Ph.D.<\/strong><br \/>\nChancellor<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pam Steinke, Ph.D.<\/strong><br \/>\nInterim Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs<\/p>\n<p><strong>Daniel Feig, J.D.<\/strong><br \/>\nDirector of Athletics and Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kimberly Jolley<\/strong><br \/>\nInterim Vice Chancellor for University Advancement and Executive Director of University Foundations<\/p>\n<p><strong>Robert Katz, Ph.D.<\/strong><br \/>\nInterim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs<\/p>\n<p><strong>Adam Long<\/strong><br \/>\nVice Chancellor for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer<\/p>\n<p><strong>Donette Stewart<\/strong><br \/>\nVice Chancellor for Admissions and Enrollment Services<\/p>\n<p><strong>Christopher Taylor<\/strong><br \/>\nVice Chancellor for External Affairs and Chief of Staff<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sheryl Turner-Watts<\/strong><br \/>\nVice Chancellor for Finance and Administration<\/p>\n<p><strong>Nicholas Kehrwald, J.D.<\/strong><br \/>\nDean of Students<\/p>\n<p><strong>Melanie Knight<\/strong><br \/>\nSpecial Assistant to the Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Director of Special Projects, & Title IX Coordinator<\/p>\n<p><strong>Stacey Mills<\/strong><br \/>\nAssistant Vice Chancellor for Regional Engagement and Executive Director of USC Upstate Greenville Campus<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kim Purdy, Ph.D.<\/strong><br \/>\nDean of University College and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs<\/p>\n<p><strong>Khrystal Smith, Ph.D.<\/strong><br \/>\nAssociate Vice Chancellor for Student Engagement and Retention Initiatives<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-943-2-1-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"5\" ><div class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-943-2-1-1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><h3 class=\"widget-title\">SPARTANBURG COUNTY COMMISSION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION<\/h3>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p>David L. Church \u201992, D.H.A., Chair<br \/>\nMilton A. \u201cChip\u201d Smith Jr. \u201978, Vice Chair<br \/>\nVictor P. Austin Jr. \u201890<br \/>\nWilliam R. Cobb \u201874<br \/>\nRoger Couch<br \/>\nPatrick Cutler<br \/>\nRenee Dean \u201803<br \/>\nDavid L. Eubanks, Ed.D<br \/>\nAnne Flynn<br \/>\nRonald Garner \u201994, Ed.D.<br \/>\nScott Heath<br \/>\nBen Hines<br \/>\nDr. Henry \u201cHank\u201d Jolly Jr.<br \/>\nJohnny Lee<br \/>\nCathy McCabe<br \/>\nRyan McCarty<br \/>\nHarold D. McClain<\/p>\n<p><strong>Commissioners Emeriti<\/strong><br \/>\nCharles Babb<br \/>\nJane Bottsford \u201869<br \/>\nJames R. Smith \u201872<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ex-Officio<\/strong><br \/>\nToney J. Lister, Esq.<br \/>\nUSC System Board of Trustees<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Up Magazine The university community began to Reimagine Upstate in the fall of 2021 to elevate USC Upstate to greater heights of service and influence. With that energy infusing our work, I am pleased to say that 2022 was a great year!First, the university is financially sound because of campus-wide efforts to right-size our budget [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/943"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=943"}],"version-history":[{"count":55,"href":"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/943\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13503,"href":"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/943\/revisions\/13503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/up.uscupstate.edu\/archive\/winter2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}