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Office of the Provost

Office of Faculty Affairs

Mission

The mission of the Office of Faculty Affairs is to support and empower our community of faculty to learn, grow, and thrive as teachers, as researchers, scholars and artists, and as productive members of our community.

Leadership

The office is led by the vice provost of faculty affairs and dean of the faculty. This vice provost is responsible for all faculty hiring, tenure and promotional processes, faculty work life policy implementation, and faculty development activities from new faculty orientations to senior leadership training. Included in the vice provost's portfolio is the Center for Teaching Excellence which offers numerous programs to support faculty. Serving as the deputy director (faculty) of the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, the vice provost is responsible for the faculty ombuds program as well as the faculty civility office. The vice provost works closely in an ex officio capacity with major committees of the Faculty Senate. Moreover, the vice provost chairs the USC Policy Advisory Committee which governs the creation, oversight and revision of all formal USC Columbia and System policies.

Faculty Development Programs

The Office of Faculty Affairs is committed to cultivating institutional structures for faculty advancement across the career lifespan. In addition to the programs offered by the Office of the Provost, the Center for Teaching Excellence, and the Division of Human Resources, the Thomas Cooper Library as well as a number of schools and colleges have developed a number of excellent programs to foster long term learning and development.

The career development opportunities and support can be used at all stages of a faculty member’s career, although some are geared more towards early or mid-career development. Certain programs are relevant for graduate students or postdoctoral scholars. Program formats vary with some programs offered in-person, in hybrid form, or virtually.

Click on the tiles below to find tables with information about professional development opportunities.

Faculty Support and Guidance

  • Civility Advocate

    The charge of the FCA is to adjudicate complaints of workplace incivility as dictated in the Workplace Incivility Policy (ACAF 1.80 [pdf]) in an independent and just manner. Contact the Faculty Civility Advocate (fca@mailbox.sc.edu) for more information.

  • Faculty Ombuds

    The faculty ombuds serves as a confidential, neutral, informal and independent resource for faculty concerns and conflicts. The Faculty Ombuds is available to listen to concerns, clarify issues, develop options and provide information. The ombuds advocates for fair and equitably administered processes and does not advocate on behalf of any individual within the university.

  • Dealing with Incivility on Social Media

    This guide is designed to assist the campus community in responding to situations in which faculty members are targeted by individuals or groups outside of the university based on the content of the faculty member’s scholarship, teaching, and/or service. It addresses potential concerns in such situations and informs the campus about resources available to assist individual faculty members, departments chairs, and other administrators.

Office of the Provost

Osborne Administration Building
Suite 102
Columbia, SC 29208

803-777-2808
provost@sc.edu