COLUMBIA, S.C. — University of South Carolina board members have approved a 10-year master plan for the university. On Friday, school leaders laid out a new vision for growth on campus called "USC Next."
They explain that the focus will be on four principles: reinvigorating the historic campus core, improving the student life experience, reimagining USC's research footprint, and realizing a new health sciences campus.
According to the Board of Trustees, USC Next follows the university’s previous master plan, completed in 2018. The plan accommodates future growth in the student body and maximizes currently underutilized areas near the heart of campus while allowing for new teaching and research facilities, student housing and more.
Current college students say they're excited about the new upgrades, including renovations to the library and a new School of Medicine.
"I'm in the library pretty much every day doing work and studying, so having a renovated library where it can make me more comfortable and help me study better I think is always a plus and I think the university's taking a step in the right direction," Gavin Greene, USC junior said.
"I'm excited just to see new renovations and everything because I do want to go to graduate school here and I want to go pre-med, and I want to go to the med school here, so I'm really excited for that," Amy Perez, USC freshman said.
The trustees add that their goals include improving athletic venues and the land near Williams Brice, redeveloping the McBryde residence hall, completing a new wing on the Honors College residential hall, and redeveloping the Rutledge building at Bull and Senate streets.
Students said it's important to keep the historic nature of the university, too.
"I think just keeping the historic parts, such as the tower we have, and the library is very iconic for the fountain, and just keeping the cocky statue, stuff like that," Caroline Sastoque, USC freshman, said.
USC said each of these projects will require individual approval, and they will also need to establish project financing.
You can see an outline of the plan here.
“USC Next honors the university’s rich history, while presenting new opportunities to better serve our community in the future,” USC President Michael Amiridis said. “While not every project imagined in the plan will come to fruition, USC Next provides a valuable perspective on the university’s infrastructure and how to design it to best accommodate our current and future needs.”
“The university and the entire community benefit from a campus plan that provides an inspiring vision for the future,” Board Chairman Thad Westbrook said. "USC Next does that, and serves as a roadmap to ensure current and future campus development is strategic, integrated, and consistent with what a South Carolina should expect from a world-class research university."
USC leaders said 36,000 students attend the university's Columbia campus.