The University Events webpage provides a central location to access events on campus and in the surrounding
community. You may navigate the site to search for events by category and date. This
calendar is not exhaustive, but does include information you may not find anywhere
else.
On the Faculty and Staff Announcements page, you may sort announcements by topic, college or school, as well as view announcement
archives.
The Daily Gamecock is the student newspaper, distributed widely across campus and available through
newsstands. Pick one up to read about the latest news, sports, arts and cultural events,
and student perspectives. Sign-up to receive the email addition.
Dining on Campus
Find great eats anywhere you're on campus. Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner in more than 30 unique dining places from the Green Quad to the Horseshoe. Whether you need a healthy breakfast, quick lunch, or a late-night snack, you'll
find just what you're craving. Meal plans are also available to add value, flexibility,
and convenience to your dining and campus experience.
Faculty also enjoy the McCutchen House on the Horseshoe, which is operated by the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Under the close supervision of the director, and professional chefs, HRTM students
prepare and serve a gourmet lunch buffet Tuesday – Friday during the fall and spring
semesters.
Mobile food ordering is available using Grubhub, a mobile app that allows you to order food and drinks on campus, and then pick up
your order on the go.
Campus Recreation
Campus Recreation provides safe, accessible recreation services, programs and facilities to the greater
university community. The Campus Recreation team maintains the university's two comprehensive
wellness, fitness and recreation centers plus the university's diverse fitness programs.
The Solomon Blatt Physical Education Center (Blatt PEC), located on Wheat Street, is available to all University of South Carolina students,
faculty, and staff with a valid University of South Carolina-Columbia CarolinaCard.
Family memberships are also available, and locker rental and towel service are available
options. Students, faculty, staff and alumni members of the Blatt Center can use the university's
Wheat Street tennis courts.
The Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center (STFC) is located on the corner of Assembly and Blossom Streets and is a comprehensive fitness facility.
A membership fee is required for faculty and staff and can be payroll deducted. New
faculty are offered a 30-day free trial.
The Columbia campus is full of pedestrian-friendly routes. Use the Fit Walk Paths Map to plan a run or walk that fits your location and schedule.
An athletic trainer is a healthcare professional who works with doctors to prevent,
diagnose and treat sports-related injuries and medical conditions. Athletic Trainer Services are free for USC students, faculty and staff with a valid CarolinaCard.
Outdoor Recreation Hub offers equipment rentals, and basic bike repairs. Find the land and water equipment you need to make your outdoor adventure more comfortable
and safe. Get tents, backpacks, stoves, cook sets, headlamps, sleeping bags and pads,
canoes, car-top carriers, and many other items to make your travels easier. Affordable
rentals are available by the day, weekend or a full week.
Campus Recreation offers Outdoor Recreation that includes day or overnight Adventure Trips to area destinations where you can
build new skills and learn about sustainability and conservation. Trips are open to
all USC students, faculty and staff. All trips will only require beginner skill levels,
unless otherwise noted.
Athletic Events
Gamecock athletic ticket information for faculty is available through policy ATHL 2.00. Many sporting events are free for faculty. For information on events requiring tickets,
you may contact the ticket office online at the Gamecocks Ticket Office.
**The University of South Carolina implemented a clear bag policy for all ticketed athletics events.
Why Gamecocks?
One possible source for the first link between USC and the gamecock mascot lies with
a nickname of Thomas Sumter, one of South Carolina's storied military figures. Sumter
energized South Carolina in its fight against the British during the American Revolutionary
War. Sumter regularly donned the colors of the gamecock, and he was well-known for
his fearlessness in battle. Historic letters and other records indicate that by the
1840s, South Carolinians were praising Sumter as the "Fighting Gamecock." The gamecock
first appeared as the USC mascot in 1902.
Cocky is the costumed mascot of the University of South Carolina athletics teams. Cocky has garnered national
recognition, and has won numerous mascot awards, with his unrivaled Gamecock enthusiasm
and fabulous fighting rooster attire! Be sure to check out one of his most recognized
and highly lauded athletic event entrances, appearing magically from a black box to the song “2001: A Space Odyssey" which can be experienced at every home football game. A 773 pound bronze likeness
of Cocky can be seen in front of Davis College, near the Russell House and the Melton
Observatory.
