The USC Joseph F. Rice School of Law strongly believes in upholding the Carolinian Creed and strives to ensure that every student, staff member, and faculty member is valued and treated with respect, dignity, and integrity.
Consistent with our Mission, Vision, and Values, we are dedicated to cultivating a culture that
- encourages thoughtful, open, and effective communication;
- embraces diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in thought, in word, in action, and in representation;
- encourages engagement among faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners, both inside and outside the classroom; and
- values the contributions of each member of our law school community.
Our Shared Definitions
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Diversity
A concept represented by a group of people that collectively maintain and display a broad spectrum of human attributes, perspectives, identities, backgrounds, and disciplines.
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Inclusion
A process of active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with the concept of diversity and goal of equity.
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Equity
A goal of fair and impartial access to membership, resources, opportunities, and benefits for underrepresented and underserved populations.
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Belonging
An experience of perceiving, believing, and knowing that one has been accepted as an equal member of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive group.
Telling Our Story
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What it means to welcome all
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Celebrating Women's History Month
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The enduring legacy of Edna Smith Primus
USC Joseph F. Rice School of Law Inclusive Excellence Facts
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19% of students identify as people of color
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52% of students are women
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8.89% of Class of 2025 self-identify as LGBTQIA+
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14 student affinity groups
(Data for all Inclusive Excellence facts was provided by the USC School of Law's Admissions Office)
Inclusive Excellence in Action
Learn more about Inclusive Excellence at the USC Joseph F. Rice Law School and how you can get involved.
Get Involved
South Carolina Law offers more than 30 student organizations and affinity groups that allow students to strengthen connections with like-minded members of the law school community or learn more about others and what connects us all.
We encourage you to explore the full list of student organizations, get involved, and improve your interpersonal and leadership skills while also having some fun with your peers.
Our Student Community and Engagement Task Force, which is compromised of representatives from the Student Bar Association and law school affinity groups, partners with the associate dean for DEI to host engagement opportunities for the law school community. The task force also maintains the Counselor's Corner, an initiative to ensure that students in our law school community have access to food, personal hygiene and household supplies, and professional attire.
The law school's Faculty and Staff Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee is focused on developing initiatives in the law school to foster and maintain a diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning community.