THE UNIVERSITY
PURPOSE
– MISSION STATEMENT
Founded as a state
college in 1970, Francis Marion
University adheres to the primary
purpose of its establishment: to make available to people of all ages and
origins an excellent baccalaureate education in the liberal arts and selected
professional programs in business, education, and nursing. Professional
graduate programs at the master’s level are also offered in business,
education, and psychology. The University supports scholarly pursuits by
students and faculty in order to promote academic development and intellectual
stimulation and strives to provide the Pee Dee region of
South Carolina with a variety of
educational and cultural enrichment services. In order to continue to improve
both quality and efficiency, Francis Marion
University engages in continuous
evaluations of all its activities.
As a dynamic,
interactive, public regional comprehensive teaching University, located near
the growing community of Florence,
Francis Marion serves students who have a wide range of abilities and
preparations. We welcome and encourage students of all ethnic and racial
heritages and believe that the presence of a diverse student body from
throughout the state, country, and world enriches the educational experience
for all. Non-traditional, out-of-state, and international students make up an
increasing proportion of our student population. Francis Marion provides a
student-centered learning experience that fosters mutual respect and maintains
high academic standards. We emphasize an individualized approach to education
through low student-faculty ratios and personalized attention to academic
advising and career development. The University community contributes to the
social, cultural, moral, and physical development of students as well as to
their intellectual growth through both its academic and student life programs.
In addition, we offer special learning experiences, such as University Life,
the Honors program, internships, and cooperative degree programs.
At Francis
Marion University,
we seek to provide students with a foundation for lifelong learning and to help
them develop skills for professional careers in business, industry, government,
public service, and education as well as for more advanced study in
professional and graduate schools. To that end, we place major emphasis on the
quality of our faculty, staff, library, and educational support services.
Excellence in teaching and learning is our highest priority. The University has
a faculty of outstanding quality and diversity and supports faculty development
through scholarship and research, continuing professional study, and
participation in a wide range of academic endeavors. Francis Marion faculty,
staff, and students are building a learning community that promotes
understanding of other cultures and prepares students to become successful
citizens in a rapidly changing world. Francis
Marion University
offers programs of study that encourage students to think critically and
creatively, communicate clearly and honestly, develop appreciation of aesthetic
values, and be concerned with the common good as well as their own interests.
Our educational goals are sustained by the liberal arts tradition and seek to
provide all baccalaureate degree students with the following: proficiency in
listening, reading, speaking, and writing, proficiency in the use of
quantitative skills and scientific method, the ability to access and use
information, an introductory level of knowledge in a variety of disciplines in
the Arts and Sciences, an understanding and appreciation of the Western
heritage and cultures of the United States and the world, basic computer
skills, global awareness and tolerance for a diversity of ideas, a sense of
individual responsibility and ability to work cooperatively, and a lifelong
love for inquiry and learning.
Requirements for the
bachelor’s degree provide that students also achieve expertise in a particular
discipline, which includes the ability to understand and apply the core
concepts, principles, and methodologies of that discipline. Students are also
expected to understand the relationships between their personal and
professional goals and the liberal arts.
Francis Marion
University strives to be responsive
to the changing needs of the region by offering master’s degrees in business,
education, and psychology and by providing cultural and athletic events open to
the community. Moreover, the University seeks to serve as a catalyst for
regional development. Faculty, staff members, and advanced students consult
with local businesses, industries, and governmental agencies and render
academic and practical assistance to regional schools and other organizations.
They also participate in community activities, such as scientific, artistic,
and literary programs and are professionally active in many other ways in
building a better educated, more culturally enriched, and more prosperous
region.
Francis Marion
University, an institution of approximately 4,000 students, is small enough to
provide individualized attention to a diverse range of traditional and
non-traditional students, yet large enough to make available to students,
staff, faculty, and the regional community a broad variety of academic and
cultural resources. Thus, Francis Marion
University combines the advantages
of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a public university.
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THE UNIVERSITY
Francis Marion
University is one of South
Carolina’s 13 public, co-educational universities. As
one of the state’s six comprehensive institutions, FMU prides itself on
providing a strong liberal arts education.
The University offers a
broad range of undergraduate degrees and a select number of graduate programs
in serving the needs of communities, businesses and industries of the Pee
Dee region. Francis Marion is the only state university located in
the Pee Dee region, and many of its students are the
first in their families to go to college.
FMU has the look and
feel of a small, liberal arts college with all the benefits of a
state-supported, comprehensive university. FMU offers an excellent learning
environment, small enough to afford students personalized attention from
faculty and staff, and large enough to let students expand their horizons. All
faculty members have advanced degrees, and 83 percent of the full-time faculty
hold doctoral or terminal degrees. While 93 percent of its students come from South
Carolina, the University enrolls students from 32
states and 25 foreign countries, allowing students to experience the diversity
of people from other cultures. The student-faculty ratio is 17 to 1, and the
average class size is 20. The average age of undergraduates is 21, while the
average age of graduate students is
Located about seven
miles east of Florence, the
300-acre campus is known for its beautiful foliage and landscaping. The campus
includes 100 acres of mixed pine-hardwood and bottomland forests accessed by a
series of trails. Several acres have been set aside as an Arboretum that is
being developed into a resource with many of the native species of the area.
The University’s modern classroom buildings, laboratories, and residence
facilities provide a safe, comfortable learning environment for students. The
campus also features a number of recreational facilities that are available for
use by students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and for use in intramural and
intercollegiate athletic competition.
Most buildings have been
constructed or renovated since 1970. Facilities are equipped with ramps, and
those of more than one story are equipped with elevators. Though each building
has its own unique design, all are planned for architectural harmony.
One of the busiest
places on campus is James A. Rogers Library, the state’s sixth largest academic
library and the largest library in northeastern South
Carolina. It serves as a valuable resource for
individual citizens, businesses, and industries in the entire region.
The Pee
Dee Education Center
occupies a 10,000-square-foot facility adjacent to the campus. The Pee
Dee Education Center
is a regional educational consortium serving 19 area school districts, 110,000
students, and 6,000 teachers. Francis
Marion University
works closely with the Pee Dee Education
Center to provide resources and
services to school districts in the Pee Dee, such as the
Pee Dee Math/Science Hub which is housed in the facility. For more information,
contact the Pee Dee Education
Center at 843-669-3391.
The University offers to
the community programs and services in continuing education, technical and
professional assistance, industrial and economic development, and artistic and
cultural enrichment. Many cultural activities (concerts, lectures, plays, art
exhibits, planetarium and observatory shows, and film series) are offered free
to the public. The University has an outstanding NCAA Division II athletic
program with seven sports each for men and women. The University’s school
colors are red, white, and blue, and the mascot is a patriot.
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HISTORY
Authorized as a
state-supported institution of higher learning by the State of South
Carolina on June
25, 1969, Francis Marion
College was officially established
on July 1, 1970. Founded in
response to an overwhelming need for a public higher education institution in
the Pee Dee region of South
Carolina, the College became Francis
Marion University
in 1992. The University was named in honor of a Revolutionary War hero, General
Francis Marion, who was nicknamed the “Swamp Fox” for using the South
Carolina terrain in effective guerrilla warfare against
the British.
The University traces
its history to 1957 when the University
of South Carolina established a
“freshman center” at the Florence County Library. In 1961, a permanent campus
for USCFlorence was established seven miles east of Florence
on land donated by the Wallace family, the current location of FMU. By 1966,
enrollment at USC-F had reached 350 and community leaders began a movement to
establish a four-year institution to meet better the educational needs of the
region. Following a Commission on Higher Education recommendation, Gov. Robert
E. McNair signed into law an act creating Francis
Marion College,
effective July 1, 1970. The
College began its first academic term when students from 23 of South
Carolina’s 46 counties gathered on August
31, 1970 for the first fall convocation and orientation. A total of
907 students subsequently enrolled in programs offered through the College’s
initial 10 departments.
During its first year,
the College embarked on a building program which saw occupancy of the James A.
Rogers Library in 1971, the Robert E. McNair Science Building in 1972, the
Walter Douglas Smith University Center and Founders Hall in 1974, the John K.
Cauthen Educational Media Center in 1977, the Peter D. Hyman Fine Arts Center
and the Village (student apartments) in 1980, three residence halls and the
Edward S. Ervin Dining Hall in 1986, the Thomas C. Stanton Academic Computer
Center and the Reames Wing to Rogers Library in 1988, an addition to the J.
Howard Stokes Administration Building in 1990, three more residence halls and
the Allard A. Allston Housing Office Complex in 1992, the Hugh K. Leatherman
Sr. Science Facility in 1994, the BB&T/Amelia Wallace Alumni/Faculty House
in 2003, and the Forest Villas apartment complex in 2004.
The institution has had
four presidents: Dr. Walter Douglas Smith (1969 to 1983), Dr. Thomas C. Stanton
(1983 to 1994), Dr. Lee A. Vickers (1994 to 1999), and Dr. Luther F. Carter
(1999 to present).
Today, Francis
Marion University’s
academic program consists of a College
of Liberal Arts, a School
of Business, and a School
of Education with more than 30
programs of study, as well as a variety of cooperative and pre-professional
programs. The University employs about 220 full-time and part-time faculty
members and about 280 staff.
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ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The University is
governed by a 17-member Board of Trustees. The trustees serve four-year terms
and are elected by the South Carolina General Assembly with some appointments
made by the state’s governor. The University is committed to shared governance
among the Board of Trustees, the faculty, and the administration. The faculty
elects its own officers and committees.
The chief administrative
officer of the University is the president. The University is organized along
the following administrative divisions: Academic Affairs, Business Affairs,
Administration, Student Affairs, Development, Communications Services,
Community Relations, University Outreach, and Intercollegiate Athletics.
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ACADEMIC AFFAIRS – The division of Academic Affairs
includes all academic departments within the University, organized into a College
of Liberal Arts and two professional
schools, the School of Business
and the School of Education.
Other functions within this division include Enrollment Management (Admissions,
Financial Assistance, Provisional Programs, and Registrar), the library, and
the graduate programs.
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BUSINESS AFFAIRS – The division of Business Affairs is
responsible for the University’s business operation, accounting for all
revenues and expenditures, maintaining the University’s physical plant, campus
police, dining services, housing, purchasing, and the Patriot bookstore.
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ADMINISTRATION – The division of Administration is
responsible for human resources, computing services (both administrative and
academic), institutional research, planning, institutional effectiveness,
instructional technology, telephones, payroll, and inventory.
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STUDENT AFFAIRS – The division of Student Affairs is
responsible for creating learning opportunities for growth and development of
students outside the classroom. The goal is to promote individual student
development and leadership through fostering community involvement of students
in their intellectual, cultural, spiritual, emotional, and physical
development. Services, offices, and programs within the division include
Student Life (fraternities, sororities, student activities, and special
events), the Smith University
Center, Campus Recreation Services,
Career Development, Counseling and Testing, Student Health Services, Residence
Life, Multicultural Student Affairs, International Student Affairs, and Student
Conduct.
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DEVELOPMENT – The Development division is responsible
for coordination of University efforts to secure financial support from the
private sector and to serve as the receiving point for gifts of dollars,
securities, works of art, land, and equipment. This is done primarily through
the Francis Marion University Foundation, the Alumni Association, the Annual
Fund, and the Swamp Fox Club. Through these organizations, the various avenues
of supporting the University are made known to individuals, corporations, and
philanthropic foundations. For more information, call 843-661-1481 or visit
www.fmarion.edu.
FMU Foundation – The FMU
Foundation was organized in 1974 to provide a means for seeking and accepting
substantial gifts of money or property in order to build an endowment fund that
would promote the educational purpose and overall mission of the University.
The FMU Foundation is governed by an independent volunteer board of directors
and currently has approximately $18 million in assets.
Annual Fund – Since the early
years of the institution, friends, alumni, faculty, staff, businesses, and
industries have provided the opportunity for bright young scholars to obtain a
college education. Through annual contributions, the Annual Fund is able to
support various scholarship programs and educational initiatives such as
instructional technology, library acquisitions, and faculty development. Annual
giving helps meet the ever-increasing need for financial support for the
University.
The Swamp Fox Club – Recognizing the
nickname of the University’s namesake, the Swamp Fox Club is the fund-raising
arm of the Francis Marion University Athletics program. The mission of the
organization is to provide a quality college experience for student-athletes as
well as scholarship support for each team as established under NCAA guidelines.
Members include faculty, staff, alumni, friends, businesses, and local
supporters.
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COMMUNITY RELATIONS – The Community Relations Office is
responsible for maintaining positive town and gown relations and works with the
corporate community, local chambers of commerce, civic organizations, and state
and local government agencies on projects designed for the betterment of the
University and the region it serves. The office plans and coordinates special
events designed to increase the visibility of the University. The office administers
the alumni relations program to advance the interests of the alumni and the
University.
The Alumni Affairs
Office –
The Director of Alumni Affairs coordinates activities of the Alumni Office and
implements objectives, goals, and policies of the Alumni Association Advisory
Board, the Alumni Association’s governing body. The University has a total
alumni base of about 15,000 with 73 percent of them living in South
Carolina and 56 percent residing in the Pee
Dee region. FMU alumni are found in 46 states and nine countries.
The Alumni Association
serves as the liaison among graduates, the Alumni Office, and the University
community. The Alumni Association’s primary purpose is to involve alumni in the
promotion, advancement, and support of the mission of Francis
Marion University
and to encourage a continuing interest in FMU by providing opportunities for
service and fellowship. The Alumni Association channels support, financial and
otherwise, to the University from alumni through a variety of activities,
correspondence, and publications. Francis Marion who maintain yearly membership
fees in the Association are considered active members. Alumni activities
include Homecoming, members-only events, and area and special interest alumni
events. Volunteer alumni programs include Patriot Partners,
Alumni-in-Admissions, and the Alumni Career Network. The Alumni Office
encourages graduates to become involved in their alma mater and to notify the
Alumni Office of address changes, employment information, and other significant
events such as marriages, births, and honors. Alumni news is shared with other
graduates in the Class Notes section of the Francis Marion View magazine. The
address for the Office of Alumni Affairs is FMU Alumni Affairs, PO
Box 100547, Florence, SC
29501-0547. Contact can be made
by mail, by phone at 843-661-1228, by email at ksellers@fmarion.edu, or by fax
at 843-661-1293.
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COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES – The Communications Services Office is
responsible for telling the FMU story to its various publics. The office serves
as the official communications channel through which the University
disseminates information internally and externally. The office has four major
functions: (1) external media relations, (2) internal communications, (3)
production of official University publications for off-campus audiences, and
(4) marketing and communications support for University initiatives. The office
distributes news and feature stories about University programs, activities, and
people as well as hometown releases about student achievements. A twice-monthly
newsletter, Patriot Digest, informs faculty and staff about campus activities.
Communications Services is also responsible for campus printing and mail
functions.
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UNIVERSITY OUTREACH – The University recognizes that its
mission reaches beyond the borders of the campus to the surrounding region and
the state. The University touches many facets of community life and serves as a
catalyst for development of a regional approach to solving problems in
education, economic development, the environment, cultural opportunities,
social issues, and the quality of life. Faculty, staff and students have made a
significant impact on the region through research, public service, involvement
in the arts and literature, and the delivery of government and social services.
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INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS – The University
considers intercollegiate athletics to be an integral part of the educational
environment. FMU’s goal is to provide an outstanding, well-balanced athletic
program with oversight from the faculty. From the training that improves
physical fitness of athletes to the teamwork and competition that provides
excitement for students and fans, intercollegiate athletics complement academic
pursuits when held in proper perspective. The University is nationally
competitive in the NCAA Division II as a member of the Peach Belt Conference.
Coaches and student-athletes are held to high standards and are expected to
exemplify the same leadership roles on campus and within the community as in
athletic competition.
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ACCREDITATION
Francis Marion
University is fully accredited by
the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS) to award bachelor’s and master’s level degrees. Upon request,
accreditation documents may be viewed in the Office of the Provost during
normal business hours. The University is approved by the South Carolina State
Board of Education and is a member of the American Council on Education and the
American Association of State Colleges and Universities.
In addition, several
individual academic programs have been recognized by specialized accrediting
organizations. The business programs are accredited by the AACSB International-
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The teacher
education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of
Teacher Education (NCATE) and approved by the South Carolina State Board of
Education. The chemistry program is approved by the Committee on Professional
Training of the American Chemical Society. The graduate psychology program is
accredited by the Master’s in Psychology Accreditation Council (MPAC) and meets
the standards of training approved by the Council of Applied Master’s Programs
in Psychology (CAMPP). The theatre arts program is accredited by the National
Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST). The visual arts and art education
programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design
(NASAD).
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INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS
Francis Marion
University is committed to the
continuous evaluation and improvement of each and every component of the
University from its educational programs to the administrative and support
offices that serve them. The University now has in effect a comprehensive
institutional effectiveness program that routinely monitors continued program
and office alignment with institutional mission, the identification of salient
process outcomes, the measurement of meaningful quality indicators, and the
implementation of improvements. The faculty of the University through its
Institutional Effectiveness Committee accepts the ongoing evaluation of the institutional
effectiveness system as an important component of its responsibilities to the
institution.
Students are frequently
asked to participate in the assessment of the University’s services through
focus groups, surveys, writing samples, academic inventories, interviews and
other appropriate assessment methods. Prospective students, parents, alumni,
and constituents in the local and regional business and service communities are
also asked for their input. Throughout this process, FMU stresses to its students
and other participants that FMU is assessing the quality of its educational
programs and support services and not the individual participating in the
assessment effort. Reacting to the input from our students and other
constituencies by constantly improving the ability of the University to
accomplish its mission is the primary purpose of FMU’s institutional
effectiveness system.
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EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
Francis Marion
University is dedicated to equal
opportunity through affirmative action within the University community. The
University’s affirmative action program is designed to provide equal
consideration of all applicants for faculty and staff positions, for all
faculty members in the tenure and promotion process, and for administrators and
other staff members seeking promotions and upgrades, as well as for students
seeking admission, financial aid, and equality in academic and athletic
programs.
It is the policy of Francis
Marion University
to recruit, hire, train, and promote employees without regard to race,
religion, color, national origin, sex, physical disability, sexual orientation,
or age. Furthermore, it is FMU’s policy to implement affirmative action to prevent
any disparate effects of discrimination because of race, religion, color,
national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or age. Hiring, training,
promotion, pay scales, and benefits practices are based on qualifications,
demonstrated ability, and meritorious performance. The University actively
recruits students from protected categories and provides opportunities for the
growth and development of those students.
The University’s Affirmative
Action Plan includes the monitoring and reporting of compliance with applicable
laws and regulations including Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, as amended; Executive Order 11375; Revised Order No. 4; the Equal Pay Act
of 1963, as amended; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; the Vietnam
Era Veteran’s Rehabilitation Act of 1974; Titles VII and VIII of the Public
Health Service Action; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the
Americans with Disabilities Act; and all applicable laws and ordinances of the
State of South Carolina. A plan has been developed to help achieve FMU’s goal
of equal employment opportunity for all. The Vice President for Student Affairs
serves as the University’s Affirmative Action Officer and is responsible for
ensuring that the University’s commitments are met and for reporting progress
to the President. The Affirmative Action Officer has the responsibility in
accordance with the plan to ascertain that a concerted effort is established
and maintained to assure the achievement of goals and interim benchmarks. For
more information, call 843-661- 1187.
Discriminatory
Personal Conduct: The University seeks to promote a fair, humane, and respectful
environment for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, University
policy explicitly prohibits sexual harassment, racial harassment, and all other
personal conduct which inappropriately asserts that sex, race, ethnicity,
sexual orientation, disability, or ancestry are relevant to consideration of individual
worth or individual performance. The same policies provide procedures for the
informal resolution of instances in which such behavior is suspected or
alleged. The policies are available for inspection in the Office of Student
Affairs, Smith University
Center, or the Human Resources
Office, Stokes Administration
Building.
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ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
English has been
designated the primary language of all faculty members at Francis
Marion University
since fall 1991. “Primary” language is defined as written and spoken English
comparable to that of a native speaker. If the University considers employing
on its full-time teaching faculty a candidate whose second language is English,
that candidate will:
• give a lecture in
his/her discipline in English to students and faculty who will assess the
candidate’s fluency in English on the basis of being able to comprehend fully
the content of the lecture.
• submit a letter of
interest and, when applicable, additional samples of written work.
The English Fluency in
Higher Education Act of the South Carolina General Assembly requires that each
public institution provide assurance that there exists an adequate procedure
for students to report grievances concerning the inability of instructors to be
understood in their spoken or written English. At FMU, students should state
such a grievance in a scheduled meeting with the chairperson of the department
or dean of the school involved.
The department
chairperson or school dean will then arrange for a meeting among the
chairperson or dean, the grieving student(s), and the instructor. It is the
responsibility of the chairperson or dean to find a satisfactory resolution to
the grievance and to report the resolution to the Provost.
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CAMPUS FACILITIES
Francis Marion
University is located on a 300-acre
tract of land originally included in an English royal land grant. The initial
100 acres were a gift from the Walter G. and J. W. Wallace families. The
University is situated adjacent to U.S.
Highways 301/76, seven miles east of Florence, South
Carolina. Campus facilities include:
Wallace House
(President’s Home) – Rebuilt in 1924 after the original 1836 J. Eli Gregg home
was destroyed by fire, this antebellum-style house was the home of Joseph Wilds
Wallace Sr. and Sallie Gregg Wallace. In 1960, in their memory, the Wallace
family donated the house for the founding site of the University
of South Carolina at Florence.
Then named Wallace Hall, the structure housed classrooms and meeting space for
the Florence campus. When Francis
Marion College
was established in 1970, the house served as a facility for administrative
offices. It was renovated as a permanent residence for the president of Francis
Marion University
in 1983 and was renamed Wallace House in 1994.
J. Howard
Stokes Administration
Building – Named in honor
of one of the prime movers in establishing higher education for the Pee
Dee area, this was the first building to be built on the Florence
Regional Campus of the University of South
Carolina. It was built with funds contributed by
citizens from across the Pee Dee area and transferred to
the University in 1970, and an addition was completed in 1990. It was last
renovated in 1992-1995. The building houses administrative offices including
the offices of Accounting/Cashier, Administrative Computing Services,
Administration, Admissions, Alumni Affairs, Business Affairs, Communications
Services, Community Relations, Development and FMU Foundation, Enrollment
Management, Financial Assistance, Financial Services, Human Resources,
Institutional Research, Orientation, President, Provisional Programs, Provost,
Purchasing, Registrar, Telecommunications, Payroll and Inventory, and the
University Auditor.
Office
Services Building
–
The Office Services
Building, located on the east side
of Stokes Administration
Building, was constructed in the
early 1960s. Formerly known as the “Grey Pods,” the facility served as the
canteen/student center for the University
of South Carolina at Florence.
The building was acquired by Francis Marion
University in 1970 and was converted
to Office Services soon afterward. The publications, printing, and mail services
operations are housed in this facility.
Facilities
Management/Campus Police Building – Occupied in 1972, this building provides
certain utility services to other buildings and houses the campus police and
certain offices of the Physical Plant Department. Campus Police provides
around-the-clock law enforcement services from this location.
Walter
Douglas Smith University
Center – Named in honor
of the first president of Francis Marion
University, this facility was
occupied in 1974. Designed to house under one roof all phases of the student
life program, the complex provides comprehensive facilities for student
activities and services including the offices of Student Affairs, Athletics,
Campus Recreation Services, Career Development, International Student Affairs,
and Multicultural Student Affairs. It also provides space for recreation and
athletic programs, the University Center Café, and the Patriot Bookstore.
The Edward S. Ervin
III Dining Hall – Named in honor of a former chairman of the Board of Trustees
of Francis Marion University, this facility was occupied in 1986. It serves
students, faculty, and staff of the University as well as community groups.
John K.
Cauthen Educational
Media Center
–
Named in honor of the late pioneer of educational television in South
Carolina, this building was occupied in 1977. Designed
to provide comprehensive facilities for the production and presentation of
audiovisual materials, the building also provides classroom and office space
for the education, mass communication, modern languages, and psychology
programs. The Dooley planetarium, the Ashpy Lowrimore Auditorium, two distance
learning classrooms, and the J.R. Bryan Jackson Innovation Place (a 20-computer
lab equipped with state-of-theart teaching and multimedia instructional
technology) are also in the building.
Founders Hall – Named in honor
of those whose efforts and energies led to the founding of the University, this
building was occupied during 1974. The building houses offices and classrooms
for many of the University’s academic programs including English, political
science, history, geography, philosophy and religious studies, and sociology.
The School of Business complex is located on the second floor.
The Peter D. Hyman
Fine Arts Center – Named in honor of a community leader who was instrumental
in the founding of the institution and who was the first chairman of the
Francis Marion University Board of Trustees, this facility was occupied in
November 1980. It houses the John W. Baker Art and Music Wing and includes
faculty offices for the Department of Fine Arts, classrooms, and studios for
teaching art and music. The south wing includes the Adele Kassab Recital Hall
and the University Theatre, which has a working stage and the capability for
quick changes from a proscenium to a thrust stage. The Hyman Fine Arts Center
houses public art galleries to display two- and three-dimensional art.
Hugh K. Leatherman
Sr. Science Facility – Named in honor of Senator Hugh K. Leatherman Sr., for many
years a state senator from Florence County and member emeritus of the
University’s Board of Trustees, this facility was completed in 1994 and
provides office, classroom and laboratory space for biology, chemistry,
physics, and mathematics. A greenhouse is located on the rooftop.
Robert E. McNair
Science Building – Named in honor of the former Governor of South Carolina
who played a significant role in making the University possible, this structure
was occupied during 1972. This building provides classroom, laboratory, and
office space for biology, chemistry, nursing, and physics.
The Observatory – Built in 1982,
this is a two-story, precast concrete structure with a 12-foot rotating dome.
Permanently mounted in the dome is a 14-inch reflecting telescope. Located on
the second-floor porch are six mounts for 8-inch reflecting telescopes. The
first floor houses a small classroomorientation area. Free public viewing
sessions are held periodically to examine the planets, stars, and special
astronomical events such as comets and eclipses.
James A. Rogers
Library –
Named in honor of the first chairman of the State College Board of Trustees,
the library opened on December 13, 1971. The structure houses a library
collection of nearly 400,000 volumes and provides access to a variety of
electronic databases including the Internet and DISCUS (Digital Information for
South Carolina Users). The library building was expanded in 1988 by adding a
wing named in honor of the first director of the library, J. Mitchell Reames.
Thomas C. Stanton
Academic Computer Center – Named in honor of the second president of Francis
Marion University, this facility was occupied in 1988. The building provides
computer classrooms and a 60-station general-use computer laboratory.
The Village – The first
student housing on campus was occupied in the fall of 1980. It consists of 14
two-story apartment buildings and vending facilities. The apartment buildings
(Anderson, Baxter, Cade, Dalton, Ervin, Ferguson, Gallingten, Henderson,
Ingram, Johnston, Kidwell, Logan, Moultrie, and Newton) consist of 16
apartments designed to accommodate two persons, each sharing bedroom, living
room, kitchen, and bath, or eight apartments designed to accommodate four
persons each in individual bedrooms with a common living room, kitchen, and bath.
Some apartments of each type include provisions for persons with disabilities.
The Village currently accommodates 418 residents. Additional information
regarding the Village apartments can be found in the Housing and Residence Life
sections of this catalog.
Residence Halls – The University
has two sets of residence halls. Each set consists of three residence halls
linked to each other by exterior breezeways. Built in 1986, one set (Marion
State, Palmetto, and Swamp Fox) forms a courtyard with the Edward S. Ervin III
Dining Hall. The other (Belle Isle, Snow Island, and Ellen C. Watson), built in
1992, forms a courtyard with the Allard A. Allston Housing Office Complex,
which was built at the same time. Residence halls provide for 700 residents. A
Resident Assistant is assigned to each residence hall floor to provide support
for students. Additional information regarding the residence halls can be found
in the Housing and Residence Life sections of this catalog.
Allard A. Allston
Housing Office Complex – The Allard A. Allston Housing Office Complex, built
in 1992 along with one of the two sets of residence halls, was named after a longtime
Board of Trustees member. The complex includes the offices of Housing and
Residence Life as well as a Study Hall and the Tutoring Center.
BB&T/Amelia
Wallace Faculty/Alumni Cottage – The Cottage, completed in 2003, is
operated by the FMU Foundation as a faculty/alumni facility and guest house for
the benefit of Francis Marion University. The 4,000-square foot facility is
named in honor of BB&T, a major benefactor, and Amelia Wallace, whose
family donated Wallace House and the first 100 acres of the land on which the
University is located. Lunch is served daily (unless otherwise announced) for
faculty, staff and guests.
Forest Villas
Apartment Complex – Francis Marion University’s newest addition to student
housing includes three, three-story apartment buildings and a community center
located on the southeast side of the campus adjacent to Belle Isle, Snow Island
and Ellen C. Watson Residence Halls. The three buildings, completed and
occupied in fall 2004, consist of 57 four-bedroom apartment units, three
two-bedroom units and three one-bedroom units, capable of housing 237
residents. Each apartment includes single bedrooms and private baths with
shared living, dining and kitchen facilities. The community center building
consists of a large common lounge for social functions and meetings, a smaller
meeting/study area, a fitness room, an enclosed mail pick-up area, and a
laundry facility. Additional information regarding the apartments can be found
in the Housing and Residence Life sections of this catalog.
Clifford S. Cormell
Field –
Named in honor of one whose leadership was a contributing factor to the
establishment of the University, this field is a lighted baseball complex with
a natural grass field.
John Kassab Courts – Named in honor
of one whose leadership was a contributing factor to the establishment of the
University, this facility consists of eight tennis courts surfaced with
plexipave, four of which are lighted. The courts underwent major upgrades to
the court surfaces, fencing and landscaping in 2003.
Other exterior
athletic-recreational facilities include a reslite eight-lane track, a regulation
soccer field, a regulation softball field, two natural grass intramural fields,
an outdoor recreational field near the housing area, and an outdoor recreational
pool.
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