Coastal Carolina University Mission Statement
Coastal Carolina University is a public, comprehensive liberal arts institution that seeks to develop students who are both knowledgeable in their chosen fields and prepared to be productive, responsible, healthy citizens with a global perspective. To deliver on this commitment, Coastal Carolina recruits highly qualified and motivated students, faculty, and staff from the region, state, nation, and world to create a diverse and dynamic student-centered learning environment.
Because Coastal Carolina embraces the teacher-scholar model, it places primary emphasis on high-quality teaching and engaged learning, and it supports faculty research, creative activities, and expert collaboration in the community, state, nation and world. This focus enables faculty and staff to mentor students in collaborative research, creative opportunities, and internships. To nurture this active learning community, Coastal Carolina maintains a broad range of contemporary technologies, programming, support services, and innovative course offerings and delivery methods. The result is alumni who are well prepared for professional careers or graduate programs in their chosen fields and who continue to be connected to Coastal Carolina.
Inspired by its founding in 1954 to serve the educational needs of the region, Coastal Carolina has a tradition of a strong liberal arts core. As such, Coastal Carolina commits its resources to building undergraduate and graduate degree programs of national and/or regional significance in the arts and sciences, business, humanities, education, and health and human services. Coastal Carolina fully embraces its leadership role as a regional center of economic and intellectual resources, lifelong learning, cultural and recreational opportunities, and athletic programs.
As Coastal Carolina executes this mission, it recognizes its responsibility to be a role model to the community and to the professions by assuring fair and honest treatment of people with whom it interacts and sustainable stewardship of resources entrusted to it, adopting the highest standards of integrity and accountability, and in committing itself to excellence through continuous assessment and improvement.
Update adopted by the Coastal Carolina University Board of Trustees on July 19, 2014.
Update approved by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education on Feb. 5, 2015.
University Traditions
The University Seal
The seal of Coastal Carolina University designates the founding year of the institution and associates the campus symbol, the Atheneum, with the coastal locale of the University. Carrying the Latin motto Ex Libertate Veritas - From Liberty, Truth - the seal refers to the Temple of Athene in ancient Athens where professors and students met. The Greek temple was named for Athena, the daughter of Zeus, who embodies wisdom and reason. The waves at the foot of the Atheneum acknowledge a diversified coastal environment encompassing a distinctive geography and history, a vital present and an abundant future. The seal was commissioned by Trustee Oran P. Smith as a gift to celebrate the July 1, 1993, establishment of the University as an independent, public institution of higher education.
The University Logo
The identifying symbol of Coastal Carolina University captures the dynamic and traditional commitment of the University to teaching and learning. The Atheneum, constructed on the campus in 1966, is a recognized architectural symbol of a meeting place for persons engaged in literary and scientific pursuits. In the logo, redesigned in 2009, the Atheneum is set above an undulating image of three waves, denoting our coastal location.
The University Medallion
As symbols of events and affiliations, medallions in academic regalia can be traced to religious orders during the Middle Ages. Since many orders, societies and universities used similar designs - a circle, cross or an oval - the detailed artwork in the center of the medallion was adopted to differentiate each affiliation. Colleges and universities traditionally use ceremonial and commemorative medallions for formal occasions, such as commencements, convocations and inaugurations, when academic regalia is worn. As part of the first year of Coastal Carolina’s status as an independent university, the institution’s medallion was commissioned in 1994. The installation of President Ronald R. Ingle on Oct. 22, 1994, was the first time the Coastal Carolina University Medallion was publicly displayed.
The University Mace
The University mace, the symbol of the Coastal Carolina University community, attaches significance to important events of the academic calendar. Commissioned by the Horry County Higher Education Commission, the mace was designed and crafted by silversmith Alfred D. Ward and presented to the University in the spring of 1997. The mace is carried by the senior member of the faculty at the head of the procession during official convocations of the University. When not being used for convocations, the mace is on display in the Wall College of Business Boardroom. The three-dimensional, 48-inch staff is topped with a 22-carat gold-plate model of the campus symbol, the Atheneum. Modified relief seals of the University and engraved lettering embellish the sterling silver cup. Supported by a base of solid walnut, the stem of the mace is adorned with sterling silver shells, reflecting the coastal location of the University. On the base of the stem is an engraved seal of the state of South Carolina, representing the University’s status as a public institution. Originally used as weapons during the Middle Ages, maces came to be viewed as symbols of authority and were adopted by officials of English municipalities by the end of the 16th century. Maces are now used for legislative assemblies, ecclesiastical processions, and at college and university ceremonies of outstanding importance, such as commencements.
The Coastal Carolina University name, seal and logos are registered and are fully protected trademarks and may be used only for University-approved purposes and may not be modified in any manner. Unauthorized use of these images is prohibited by law. For information, call the Office of University Communication at 843-349-2102.
Accreditations
Coastal Carolina University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the baccalaureate, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Coastal Carolina University. All other inquiries about the University should be directed to Coastal Carolina University, P.O. Box 261954, Conway, South Carolina, 29528-6054, or 843-347-3161, not to the Commission.
- The E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration is accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
- The William L. Spadoni College of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and is approved by the South Carolina Department of Education.
- Coastal Carolina University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
- The Department of Computing Sciences is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
- Coastal Carolina University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
- The Department of Theatre is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST).
- The Nursing (Completion Program) is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
- The PGA Golf Management Program is accredited by the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of America.
- The Health Promotion Program has approval designation from the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)/American Association for Health Education (AAHE) Baccalaureate Program Approval Committee.
English Language Proficiency
Coastal Carolina University requires all faculty employees to meet the requirements of the English Fluency in Higher Education Act. Faculty must possess adequate written and spoken English skills so as to be able to deliver instruction in an understandable, coherent, and effective manner. Students with specific concerns about an instructor’s English language proficiency should schedule a meeting with the immediate supervisor of the instructor involved.
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