Student Development/Activities

Student Government Association

Students who are enrolled full-time at Charleston Southern University are considered members of the Student Government Association and are entitled to the rights and privileges therein. Representatives from the students are elected or appointed to serve in the three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The Association enables students to participate in achieving the goals of the institution and to receive training for citizenship and leadership. For information on getting involved in Student Government, see the Dean of Students Office.

Student Conduct

The Faculty Senate of Charleston Southern University adopted a new policy regarding academic integrity in 2003. A complete description of the policy and regulations are described under the CSU policies page (R-58 https://www.charlestonsouthern.edu/academics/registrar/academic-policies/)

It is the responsibility of each student to exhibit conduct reflecting high principles of character and morality in keeping with the mission and purposes of the University. Admission to the University constitutes an agreement to uphold the policies and regulations described in the Student Handbook and enumerated in the Student Code of Conduct.

Chapel Attendance

The purpose of CSU Chapel is to provide the university with a corporate worship experience connecting the campus community with the thoughts and heart of Jesus Christ, creating a generation to live for His name. The objectives of Chapel are to:

• provide Christ-centered programs through music, drama, and message;
• provide an atmosphere conducive to the growth of Christian fellowship;
• lead the CSU community through significant times of personal and corporate worship;
• provide opportunities for evangelism challenging the campus community to experience God’s love and forgiveness through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ;
• complement the discipleship programs sponsored by CSU Campus Ministries;
• introduce examples and techniques of personal faith development; and
• encourage an overall enthusiasm for campus life at CSU.

All full-time day students (with 12 day credit hours or more) are required to fulfill the Chapel attendance requirement (this includes students who have recently converted to full-time day status after having attended Charleston Southern University as part-time or evening students). The system for meeting the Chapel requirement is as follows:

All Students must earn an average of six (6) Chapel Enrichment Units (nonacademic credit), to a maximum total of 48, for every semester that they are enrolled as a full-time student in order to be eligible to graduate from Charleston Southern University (for these purposes, a day student is any student who is not taking at least 50 percent of his or her courses through online and nontraditional programs). These units are independent of the 120 academic credits needed for graduation.

A student may satisfy this requirement by one or a combination of the following options:

1. Attend regularly scheduled Chapels offered eight Wednesdays per semester at 11:00 a.m. (one unit per program) during the fall and spring semesters. Several alternate chapel events are offered each semester at various times, days and locations.  Consult the University website or stop by the Dean of Students Office for more information concerning these events.
2. Satisfactorily complete up to three of the approved academic courses listed below (three units per course). A student may earn three credit hours and get three Chapel units for each of the three courses selected.

For instance, a student who is graduating after attending Charleston Southern University for four years as a full-time day student would need forty-eight (48) Convocation Enrichment Units to graduate.

The Career Center 

The Career Center 

Civic Engagement (Community Service and Service Learning)

1. Community Service:  Volunteer service performed by students or a group of students for the benefit of the public or its institutions.
2. Service Learning: The process in which an academic course includes student participation in meaningful community work that reinforces course concepts. Service learning has been shown to contribute to students’ academic understanding, civic development, personal or career growth and understanding of larger social issues.

Mission:

To support the development and coordination of the rich, diverse, and varied curricular and co-curricular partnerships that actively engage CSU within local, regional, and global communities. Through their involvement students will develop the understanding, commitment, and confidence to lead fully informed and actively engaged lives.

Goals:

1. Facilitate faculty integration of research, teaching and service in ways that meet community needs and promote educational goals.
2. Develop mutually beneficial partnerships between the university and the community to improve the social, economic and cultural climate of the surrounding community.
3. Build national pre-eminence in community-based education and volunteer community service.

Diversity Programming

The goal of Diversity Programming is to promote cultural diversity and to provide opportunities for Charleston Southern University (CSU) students, alumni, staff, and faculty to interact in sharing their cultural heritage. We focus on educational programs, Martin Luther King, Jr. heritage and The Intercollegiate Black History Month Consortium, African American Read-In, Motivational Speakers, and CSU Student-Led Programming.

Multicultural Programming

The goal of Minority Programming is to promote cultural diversity and to provide opportunities for Charleston Southern University (CSU) students, alumni, staff and faculty to interact in sharing their cultural heritage. We focus on educational programs, Martin Luther King, Jr. heritage and Black History Month, African American Read-In, African American Motivational Speakers, Community Service and CSU Student-Led Programming.

Clubs and Organizations

A wide variety of clubs and organizations are available for student membership. A listing of academic and service clubs is available in the Student Activities office.

Academic Clubs
Academic clubs in each major area offer opportunities for co-curricular enrichment. The University encourages and supports these programs and projects.

Service Clubs
The service clubs strive to develop future leaders and citizens, as well as sponsor college and community service projects. There are many excellent service clubs available to students at Charleston Southern University.

Honor Societies

Marshals - The marshals are chosen on the basis of academic scholarship, exemplary character, and leadership ability. They represent the ideals and principles for which the University stands. The marshals act as official hosts and hostesses for University academic functions.

Alpha Chi -Alpha Chi- Founded in 1922, Alpha Chi is a coeducational society whose purpose is to promote academic excellence and exemplary character among college and university students and to honor those who achieve such distinction. As a general honor society, Alpha Chi admits to membership students from all academic disciplines. To be eligible to join Alpha Chi, a student must be a junior or senior and and have a GPA that is in the top 10% of the eligible class.

Alpha Kappa Delta - Alpha Kappa Delta is the International Sociology Honor Society. This honor society serves to recognize academic excellence and interest in the study of sociology. To be eligible for lifetime membership in Charleston Southern University’s Zeta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, students must be at least junior status, be an officially declared sociology major or demonstrate a serious interest in sociology within the sociology program, have a cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.3 and a sociology Grade Point Average of 3.0 at Charleston Southern University, and have completed at least four catalog courses in sociology at Charleston Southern University.

Psi Chi - Psi Chi is the National Honor Society in Psychology, founded in 1929 for the purpose of encouraging, stimulating, and maintaining excellence in scholarship and advancing the science of psychology. Membership is open to students who are making the study of psychology one of their major interests and who meet the minimum qualifications. Psi Chi is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) and is an affiliate of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Psychological Society (APS).

Sigma Beta Delta - Sigma Beta Delta is an international honor society recognizing scholarship and achievement in business and promoting personal and professional improvement and a life distinguished by honorable service. The Business School invites qualified juniors, seniors, and second year MBA students to become members. Sigma Beta Delta is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS).

Sigma Delta Pi - Sigma Delta Pi is a national honor society of Spanish which seeks to honor those who seek and attain excellence in the study of the Spanish language, and the study of the literature and culture of Spanish speaking people: to honor those who have made Hispanic contributions to modern culture known in the English speaking world: and to encourage college and university students to acquire a greater interest in, and a deeper understanding of Hispanic culture. Membership is open to all students who have completed at least three years of a third-year course in Hispanic literature or Hispanic culture or civilization. They must have grades averaging at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all Spanish courses and rank in the upper thirty-five percent of their classes.

Sigma Theta Tau - Sigma Theta Tau is the International Nursing Honor Society. Its purpose is to recognize superior achievement and leadership qualities, foster high professional standards, encourage creative work, and strengthen commitment to the ideals and purposes of the profession. Nursing students selected for membership must have completed at least one-half of the required nursing courses, have at least a 3.0 GPA, rank in the upper 35% of their nursing class, and demonstrate academic integrity and professional leadership potential.

Campus Ministries

The Campus Ministries program supports student ministries through the Baptist Collegiate Ministries, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and One Accord Gospel Choir. In addition, scholarship students are active in community and church-related service projects.

Opportunities for worship, service, and discipleship are provided in small group and large group settings including: Bible studies, concerts, lectures, vespers prayer ministry, mission projects, and weekly “Elevate” campus worship. Students are also encouraged to become active in the local church of their choice.

Student Publications

“Sefer” 

The title is derived from the Hebrew and means writing or book. The Sefer contains original poetry, short stories, essays and art. Student editors solicit contributions from CSU students. Contact the English Department for more information.

Recreation and Health

An athletic program of physical fitness and recreation is provided for every student. Facilities and instruction are available in a wide variety of sports. The Brewer Center is designed for wellness activities. It includes an area for cardiovascular training, an intramural gym, office space, social areas and meeting rooms for clubs and organizations. In addition to intramural programs, CSU offers intercollegiate athletics for both male and female students. CSU is a member of the Big South Conference, in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I.

Orientation

A highlight for new students is a critical program of orientation introducing them to campus life at CSU. Activities and programs during orientation give administration, faculty, staff, and returning students an opportunity to welcome new students. Activities include interactions with administration, staff and student leaders, educational programs, and social activities designed to help students feel ready and at ease to begin their college journey here at Charleston Southern.

Housing

Housing Policy

Living within the campus community is an important aspect of a student’s personal development and education. Research continues to demonstrate that students who live on campus benefit in a number of ways. In fact, students who live on campus beyond their freshman year:

• Are more likely to persist and graduate
• Gain more interpersonal contacts with faculty and peers
• Experience greater personal growth and development
• Have higher academic engagement and grade point average
• Have higher social-interpersonal engagement
• Participate more in out-of-class activities
• Have more positive and inclusive attitudes and openness to diversity
• Find more satisfaction with their undergraduate experience

(Source: How College Affects Students: A Third Decade of Research by Ernest Pascarella and Patrick Terenzini. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2005)

For this reason, all students under 20 years of age who are enrolled as full time students and classified as dependent (except veterans and married couples) must live on campus.

Students must reach the age of 20 prior to the start of a major semester to reside off campus.

Students may reside with their parents, grandparents, or aunts/uncles provided their permanent address is in the Charleston area for tax purposes. Relatives must be of a “reasonable” parental age. Also, students who have lived in the residence halls for four (4) consecutive major semesters, but who still have not reached 20 years of age will be considered for an exception.

These are the only exceptions that will be considered and other requests that do not meet the above criteria will not be approved.

Failure to follow this policy will result in the student being billed for the cost of the room and board.

For further questions about this policy, contact the Dean of Students office at (843) 863-8008.

University policy requires students to provide proof of the following immunizations for their protection prior to admittance to Charleston Southern University: Tetanus, DPT, Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Tuberculin, and Hepatitis B. The Meningitis vaccine is recommended. See the CSU Student Handbook (online at www.charlestonsouthern.edu).

Authorized representatives of the University shall have the right to enter any room at any time for the purpose of: inspecting for cleanliness, orderliness, maintenance of space and equipment, assessing damages, investigating possible infractions, and enforcement of the University rules and regulations. Nobody, other than authorized representatives of the University, shall enter a student’s room without the student’s permission.

Due to health and safety concerns, students who are pregnant are permitted to live in campus housing only through the end of the second trimester. This does not apply to residents of married student housing. Exceptions to the housing refund policy will be dealt with on an individual basis.

Married students with children will only be granted housing privileges until the child reaches nine months of age. After that point, arrangements will have to be made for off-campus housing. Appeals of this policy must be addressed to the Dean of Students.

Counseling Services

Charleston Southern University’s Counseling Services office offers professional mental health services in the form of personal counseling from a faith-informed, multicultural perspective. Our counselors are familiar with using nonfaith-based approaches if that is preferred, along with biblical or integrative approaches (Christian theology and psychology). Our goal is always to work with students in a collaborative, goal-oriented counseling approach. The Counseling Center is open Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm. Students can access services by calling 863-8010 or completing the online referral at Counseling Services | CSU (charlestonsouthern.edu).

The Learning Center

All CSU students may take advantage of free tutors in many subject areas provided by The Learning Center, located off the breezeway between the Russell East and Russell West residence halls. Tutors earn international certification through the College Reading and Learning Association through a program of training and experience. Academic resources are also available for in-lab study during posted hours.

Supplemental Instruction

Historically difficult courses are supported by a Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leader, who has been selected by the professor to (1) attend a class s/he has completed successfully and (2) lead a separate SI peer study session for that class. Studies show that students who attend SI sessions regularly can expect higher grades than students who attend class only.

Students With Special Needs

Charleston Southern University accepts students requiring special needs and services, providing the student meets the academic admissions standards of the University and reasonable accommodations can be made. Special needs services and programs are coordinated by the University Counseling Center and the Special Needs Committee.

Student Assessment

At Charleston Southern University assessment consists of the ongoing, systematic collection of data and information across the institution that can be used to validate the accomplishment of our mission and facilitate improvement of programs and services. The university routinely conducts campus-based surveys and evaluations of student attitudes, achievement, and satisfaction. Such studies are grouped under the heading of student outcomes assessment. Various types of outcome assessment are used to measure the correspondence between the claims CSU makes for its programs and services and what is actually achieved. While every student is not selected for participation in every assessment activity, it is likely that an individual student will be involved in one or more assessment activities while at CSU. Although student participation in survey completion will often be voluntary, it is only through cooperative participation in the assessment process that students can help us make the CSU experience the very best we can offer for all of our students.

Complaint Policy

The U.S. Department of Education requires higher education institutions that receive federal funds to provide students and other interested parties with appropriate information regarding the filing of complaints.

Students who wish to lodge formal complaints regarding institutional policies and practices and other circumstances regarding student life should contact the Dean of Students Office, Student Center, second floor. Formal complaints must be written and must be submitted in the form of a letter or an e-mail. The Dean of Students will determine the appropriate channel for addressing the complaint and forward it on, when necessary, to the relevant department.  Formal complaints may be submitted here.

Note that academic complaints should be submitted to the academic department chair or dean if there is not a chair.  There are separate policies for resolution of grade appeals and findings of academic dishonesty. (https://www.charlestonsouthern.edu/academics/registrar/academic-policies/)

The appropriate department will provide the student with an acknowledgment of receipt of the complaint within 10 business days of the receipt of the complaint. This acknowledgment may take written or verbal form based on the nature of the situation. Within 30 business days after receipt of the complaint, the appropriate department of the university will provide the student and the Dean of Students with the institutional response to the complaint. Records of academic complaints are maintained by the Vice President of Academic Affairs and all other complaints regarding student life are maintained by the Vice President of Student Affairs (the Dean of Students). 

Complaints regarding the institution that cannot be resolved at the institutional level, particularly state related policies and procedures or accrediting concerns, should be filed by the complainants to the S.C. Commission on Higher Education or the appropriate agency. In the case of students enrolled only in online classes who live in states other than South Carolina, further pursuit of a complaint not resolved at the institutional level may be pursued at the NC-SARA site.

The university recognizes the sensitive and confidential nature of many student complaints and as a result documentation and correspondence about written student complaints are kept confidential. This information is shared with other departments only on a need-to-know basis.Please note that Title IX complaints are addressed and investigated by the Title IX Coordinator; for information on Title IX complaints, please visit the Title IX page of the CSU website.

Student Health Insurance

All International Students attending Charleston Southern University must take the medical insurance offered by the University. (The premium for this insurance will be added to their student bill each semester.) This insurance will include repatriation and medical evacuation. The purpose of this requirement is so that these students may be protected from great financial loss in the event of illness of injury requiring hospitalization or other medical care. Each student will receive his/her insurance card and can obtain any information he or she will need on physicians in the area whom he or she can see from the Business Office.

All Charleston Southern University student-athletes must provide proof of adequate medical insurance coverage in the Charleston area while they are participating in their sport. This coverage will be the student-athlete’s primary coverage, and must remain in effect during the entire year. Student athletes who do not have this coverage will not be permitted to participate in practice or games.

Buccaneer Athletics

Charleston Southern competes in 16 sports at the NCAA Division I level and is a charter member of the Big South Conference, which also includes: Gardner-Webb University, High Point University, Longwood University, Presbyterian College, Radford University, UNC Asheville, USC Upstate, and Winthrop University. 

The Buccaneers have won over 35 Big South Championships in their storied athletic history, leading to appearances in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, NCAA Baseball Championship, the NCAA Softball Championship, the NCAA Women’s Tennis Championship, and the FCS Playoffs. 

Charleston Southern is enjoying unprecedented athletic success in recent years and the success has been aided by facility upgrades and improvements.  

The Athletic Performance Center features an 8,000-square-foot facility, built adjacent to the Buccaneer Field House, that combines a 5,000-square-foot strength and conditioning center and 3,000-square-feet for meeting and office space, essential for recruiting as well as enhancing student-athlete wellness and the competitive experience. The Performance Center effectively doubles the size and capabilities of the current weight room, with state-of-the-art Sorinex equipment and amenities. The meeting center accommodates strength coach offices, offensive and defensive team meeting spaces, and film review and tutoring sessions, for which there was previously not a designated space. 

The Singleton Baseball Complex includes a two-story 3,500-square-foot building, a memorial plaza, and a stadium courtyard. The first floor of the complex houses a locker room, training room and the Sharonda Coleman-Singleton Enrichment Center. The memorial plaza recognizes outstanding CSU baseball alumni, and the “Love is Stronger” memorial was dedicated in honor of the victims, survivors, and the families of the Emanuel Nine. 

With football claiming the Big South Championship in 2016, CSU’s all-time total is now at 32 conference championships. Women’s golf has the most in CSU history with six championships (1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2010). Men’s basketball has four conference titles (1986, 1987, 1995, 1997). Volleyball (1986, 1988, 1999) and men’s golf (2001, 2003, 2015) have three championships apiece. Softball (1988, 2014) and football (2005, 2016) have two titles. Baseball won the regular-season title in 1996. The men’s cross country team won a title in 1984.  

The baseball team, which won the 1996 Big South Conference tournament, became the first program in school history to advance to the NCAA tournament. The men’s basketball team followed in the spring of 1997, playing against UCLA in the opening round NCAA Tournament. Men’s soccer reached the NCAA tournament in the fall of 1997, and the men’s tennis team has made four appearances in the national tournament. In 2001, the men’s golf team made their first-ever appearance, while the women’s golf team became the first women’s program to advance to NCAA championship play. Softball advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2014, and women’s tennis advanced to the national tournament the following year. 

Charleston Southern Athletics Mission Statement: 

Charleston Southern University is a charter member of the Big South Conference and sponsors 16 sports at the NCAA Division I Level.  CSU offers you the opportunity to achieve academic excellence, athletic success, and personal growth.  Approximately 300 student-athletes participate in the athletics program annually.  

The University’s strategic goal for the department of athletics is to provide a competitive NCAA Division I athletic program in compliance with NCAA guidelines, enhancing the academic, emotional, and spiritual development of the University’s student-athletes.  

Charleston Southern University is committed to providing an outstanding athletic program in a Christian environment.  In conjunction with the academic and Christian philosophy of the institution, a sound athletic program is a fundamental component of the educational development of our students.  The athletic department, through its coaches, administrators, and staff, is committed to providing a program that will strive to uphold the highest standards of fairness, student-athlete welfare, gender equity, and good sportsmanship.