Volume 3 - Issue 9, March 2021 Spring Semester
In This Issue:
May 2021 Commencement | COVID Update | UofSC Aiken Student Leader Podcast | Message from Housing | Chancellor Search | Chancellor Ambassadors | Scholarships | Spring Break 2021 | UofSC Aiken and DHEC Provide Free COVID-19 Testing Site | Parent and Family Relations Assistance | Save the Date and Quick Links
May 2021 Commencement
Dear Pacers,
 
The Commencement Committee is busily preparing plans for the 2021 UofSC Aiken May Commencement, and are sending you as many details as we know at this time. The university continues to implement our COVID-19 protocols and guidelines set forth in the “Ready, Set, Return” mitigation plan for your safety and wellbeing for these upcoming ceremonies and activities.
 
The formal commencement ceremony will take place, face-to-face, at Aiken High School at 6 p.m. on May 5. Dr. Belle Wheelan, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, (SACSCOC) will be our May, 2021 Commencement Speaker.
 
The Academic Honors Ceremony will take place on the evening of Tuesday, May 4. Earlier in the day on May 5, there will be a School of Education Pinning Ceremony, a School of Nursing Pinning, and a Master’s Hooding Ceremony. Times and locations will be forthcoming.
 
Please note, we do not know how many guest tickets will be available for each graduate, and a decision will be made by next week. To order your cap and gown, please contact the UofSC Aiken bookstore at 803-641-3457 or uscaikenshop.com. 
 
ALL updates will be posted as they become available at https://www.usca.edu/graduation.
 
Thank you.

USC Aiken Official Communication
COVID Update
Dear Pacers,
 
While Governor McMaster has lifted the ban on wearing masks in South Carolina government buildings, this initiative is aimed at state agencies. There are exceptions to the executive order for public universities issued by the Office of Administration. Please note, at the University of South Carolina Aiken we are still operating with a mask-wearing policy.
 
UofSC Aiken is following our “Ready, Set, Return” protocols, and students, faculty and staff are required to wear masks on campus until further notice. While we hope to be fully back to normal operations by early-summer, at this time all visitors, students, faculty and staff must follow our safety guidelines. Please review the “Ready, Set, Return” policy at https://www.usca.edu/pacer-ready/mitigation-plan/spring-2021-mitigation-plan/file. When not on campus, remember the City of Aiken is also under a mask-wearing policy. 
 
Since the beginning of the pandemic, UofSC Aiken’s emphasis has been on maintaining operations in a manner that supports the health and safety of our campus and community and in alignment with state and SCDEHC and CDC guidelines.
 
Additional information on the return of all staff and faculty will be sent later this week from our H.R. Department after the university’s full return plan has been approved.
 
We want to thank all of our employees who received their vaccination last week. Aiken Regional Medical Centers (ARMC) dispensed 1,600 vaccines over the two days, and the university appreciates everyone’s assistance during this time. Please note, for those individuals who are receiving their second dose vaccine on either March 31 or April 1 – please show up for the appointment day and time given, and please disregard any cancellation notice you might receive. 
 
For faculty, staff and 1B category essential workers, (ex: Education Sector, Food and Agriculture, Utilities, Police, Firefighters, Corrections Officers, Transportation) schedule appointments online at www.scdhec.gov/vaxlocator to find a provider, or by calling DHEC’s COVID-19 Vaccine Information Line at 866-365-8110 for help. Sites in Aiken include CVS on Richland, Publix on Whiskey Road, and Walgreen’s on Whiskey Road. SCDHEC reported that the Rural Health is fully booked at this time.
 
Thank you.
 
 
Dr. Thayer McGahee                      Mr. Brandon Aiken
COVID Coordinator                        COVID Coordinator
UofSC Aiken Student Leader Podcast



This week on the Parent and Family Relations Podcast we recognize student leader Daniel Nwachukwu. Please take 10 minutes to hear the amazing experiences Daniel has had during his time at UofSC Aiken. We also discussed how students can be involved on campus and upcoming events for all students.

Message from Housing
The Spring Semester has been going great here at University Housing. Multiple excellent programs have been delivered to residents, including two that were delivered virtually, that helped students with some timely items. One was a partnership with the UofSC Aiken Wellness Center on healthy eating and the other with a Professor of Accounting on how to complete your own taxes. The virtual program delivery is just one way that University Housing has adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have continued to implement the cleaning protocols that were established to ensure that all common areas are cleaned multiple times a day and that special use areas, such as kitchens and study rooms, are cleaned after every use. University Housing is committed to mitigating the spread of COVID-19 through this and other actions, including the requiring of mask wearing and social distancing, in all common areas. We continue to work with the UofSC Aiken COVID Coordinators to ensure that the best practices are being implemented.

And as March begins, it is time to think about selecting your room and roommates for the 2021-2022 academic year. The Housing Application has been open since the first week of February and current students have the opportunity to complete the application until Thursday, March 25th and still be able to sign up for their fall room assignment. Room selection will take place as follows: Rising Seniors on March 30th; Rising Juniors on March 31th; Rising Sophomores on April 1st. All of the information about the Housing Application process and Room Selection is available on the Housing website. Please know that all current resident do need to complete a new Housing Application for the 2021-2022 academic year. If there are any questions about the process, please contact the University Housing Office at 803.641.3790 or via email at Housing@usca.edu.

Director University Housing & Resident Life
Kevin Kerr
Chancellor Search
The UofSC Aiken has launched a nationwide search for its next chancellor. As mentioned last month, the current chancellor, Sandra Jordan, will step down from her duties in June 2021. Over the next week four candidates will be on campus for interviews. The candidates are listed below. To learn more about the candidates and to stay current with updates throughout the spring term click here.

Dr. Carolyn Stefanco (Thursday, March 11, 2021)
Dr. James Conwell (Friday, March 12, 2021)
Dr. Charles Patterson (Wednesday, March 17, 2021)
Dr. Daniel Heimmermann (Thursday, March 18, 2021)
Chancellor Ambassadors
Do you think your student would like to work with the Chancellor and the Advancement Office? If so, check out the Chancellor Ambassadors website about more details click here. The application window for the Chancellor Ambassadors program occurs every spring semester. The deadline to apply to serve for 2021-2022 is March 15, 2021 at midnight. If you have any questions about the program or the application process, please contact Marissa Collins MarissaC@usca.edu Meredith Hawcroft MeredithH@usca.edu.
Scholarships
Alumni Legacy, Student Involvement, and Inclusion Advisory Council's Leadership Scholarship
Each year, the University of South Carolina Aiken Alumni Association awards two types of scholarships.
One is the Alumni Student Involvement Scholarship and the other is the Alumni Legacy Scholarship.
Scholarship dollars are used to help students reach their academic goals, and are raised by the efforts of dedicated Alumni each year through the UofSC Aiken Alumni Golf Classic, the Pacer Polo Silent Auction, Midlands’ Chapter 5K Run and the generosity of many alumni and friends.

Applications are due April 1, 2021.

For more information on our website click here.
Spring Break 2021
The university's leadership continues to be encouraged that our Ready, Set, Return plan is being followed and that this mitigation plan allowed us to hold on-campus classes during Fall 2020.

Looking forward to the Spring 2021 semester, the university needs to make adjustments to continue protecting our university community from the spread of the coronavirus. Instead of having a traditional spring break week, UofSC Aiken students will have four days off spread throughout the semester as wellness/break days and a second reading day just before final exams.

See the updated academic calendar for details.
UofSC Aiken and DHEC Provide
Free COVID-19 Testing Site
Free drive-up COVID-19 testing continues for all UofSC Aiken students, faculty, staff, and the greater Aiken community.

Testing site and guidelines:
  • Testing is conducted six days a week - Wednesday through Monday, 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
  • The Convocation Center parking lot located at 2049 Champion Way, Graniteville, provides two drive-through testing lanes.
  • No insurance card is needed, but you will need to present a driver’s license or UofSC Aiken ID.
  • No insurance card needed, but you do need a driver's license or UofSC Aiken ID.
  • SC DHEC (SC Department of Health and Environmental Control) will provide trained staff to administer the test. They will follow all HIPAA guidelines and regulations.
  • SC DHEC will analyze and provide results of testing within 24-48 hours of testing
  • A pre-registration link is available for your convenience. It is rrtesting.com/uscaiken.
  • For more information, please contact Mr. Deri Wills at Deriw@usca.edu or 803-641-3787.

Please continue to revisit Ready, Set, Return, our comprehensive, campus-wide mitigation plan. The revision date appears on the front cover when new information is added.
 
Updates on the campus’s condition will be reflected on the dashboard each Friday and will cover weekly updates on Thursday evening each week.
Parent and Family Relations Assistance
The Parent and Family Relations Office is open virtually, and as always, I am available and happy to support you as you support your students.

Please continue to reach out via email at parents@usca.edu or call 803-641-3611 during office hours, MondayThursday,
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Pacer Proud. Pacer Strong.

Kevin Nolan
Parent and Family Relations Coordinator
Save The Date




Spring Semester (tentative)
January 9-10 - Housing check-in
January 11 - classes begin
January 18 - Martin Luther King Day - no classes
February 6 - Homecoming
February 9 - Spring Break Day 1
March 3 - Spring Break Day 2
March 25 - Spring Break Day 3
April 9 - Spring Break Day 4
April 26 and 27 - Reading days, no classes
April 28 - May 4 - final exams (excl. Sat and Sun)
May 5 - University Commencement
May 7 - faculty deadline to enter spring grades

Parent and Family Relations| University of South Carolina Aiken | 803-641-3611 | parents@usca.edu | www.usca.edu/parents