Gala, football and soccer games are a few recent Gamecock successes
We sometimes criticize the university for its missteps and seemingly endless bureaucracy, but USC is seemingly galloping in the right direction.
Further proof of this came over the weekend. The university kicked off a $1 billion capital campaign that could provide much-needed scholarships, renovations, new facilities and talented professors. More than anything, it could prevent tuition and fees from rising — a troublesome trend we've seen time and time again in recent years.
This one seems planned out quite well. Tapping David Seaton, a Fortune 500 CEO with endless contacts, to serve as the campaign's chairman is a stroke of genius. Having a black-tie gala — complete with a living representation of the university's top accomplishments — is a classy move that positions the university quite well. Securing a strong strategic plan for the campaign that includes tangible plans for the money and how USC can raise the funds is especially impressive.
The university scored a big home run here, though it almost committed a major error by claiming the gala — paid for partially with tuition dollars — was a private event that couldn't be attended by any news organization. Thankfully, the university's top communications official saw the folly in her ways and recoiled.
Over on the pigskin, the university notched another historic landmark. For the first time since joining the SEC almost 20 years ago, USC's football team won six conference games. The team has a very real shot at winning 10 — or more — games. The Ol' Ball Coach obviously still has it.
The women's soccer team also won its first-round NCAA game. This crowd is powerful and makes our university all the more proud.
There are a multitude of ways we could show the university on the upswing. These three are prime examples. We only hope things continue to get better.