The university seems to be looking to expand in two directions; attempting to move into both higher and lower echelons of higher education.
Comparable programs include Kaplan University, Strayer University, and the University of Phoenix, none of which have the name recognition that USC brings to the table. While we applaud the university’s outreach to students who cannot attend a traditional college, we must also caution the possibility of brand dilution should the program be too lax in substance.
If it’s going to have the USC name on it, Palmetto College must maintain a high degree of educational integrity — this is crucial to ensuring the university’s brand and image don’t get dragged through the mud. While at first glance this appears contradictory to the university’s plan to increase academic standards, if executed properly, the program can be a valuable, profitable extension for USC.
We want Palmetto College USC to compete with the likes of University of Phoenix, but we don’t want it to be another run-of-the-mill online program.
Should the program remain a break-even or profitable venture for USC, we’re all in. We agree that there’s a subset of students in South Carolina that the university’s current offerings don’t serve. And as long as the program is properly run, it could be an excellent way to boost revenue without raising tuition or increasing class sizes — a dilemma the university has struggled to answer. If it can accomplish these goals without diluting the value of our traditional USC degrees, we see no reason why the university shouldn’t move forward and implement Palmetto USC into the Gamecock community.
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