While this petition began in response to the “Roast” event hosted on September 18th at UofSC, it now serves to highlight the overall negative environment that the university continues to allow.

USC continues to promote the Carolinian Creed, but does not implement any actions to enforce it, causing tensions on campus to worsen and for students to feel unprotected.   A student-led initiative called Uphold The Creed has outlined a list of demands for the university;

• Codify the Carolinian Creed
  Formally enacting the creed so it is not merely a moral guideline but an enforceable and regulatory document that models the expected behavior for campus conduct.
• Expand Russell House and On-Campus Promotional Guidelines to Social Media for All Promotional Material that Includes the University’s Name, Image, or Likeness 
  Expanding the guidelines to include social media flyers to hold student organizations responsible for misusing USC's affiliation in ways that violate the current flyers/posters, banners, digital displays, and USC online calendar guidelines. I.e., as seen in Uncensored America’s vulgar and sexually explicit promotional graphic used as the event’s primary social media flyer.
• Add Hate Crime Language into the USC Constitution
  Establishing a Hate Crime Amendment into the USC Constitution through proper proposal and ratification, with enforceable measures against verbal and physical hate crimes and harassment on campus. This amendment would also include guidelines for hate speech acknowledging its role in the declined USC experience for students impacted by such speech.

USC prides itself on the following principles and creed 

As a Carolinian...

I will practice personal and academic integrity;
I will respect the dignity of all persons;
I will respect the rights and property of others;
I will discourage bigotry, while striving to learn from differences in people, ideas and opinions;
I will demonstrate concern for others, their feelings, and their need for the conditions which support their work and development.

Yet, the roast event, and subsequent actions taken by the university against it’s students directly contradicts with this creed and encourages the use of racism, homophobia, and sexism by a student led organization on campus. 

As individuals who are associated with this university either as students, alumni, or members of the community who deeply respect this institution, we are shocked and disappointed to witness the university's decision to allow the hosting of an event with inappropriate and sexist promotion.

Additionally, it is concerning that speakers, who have a history of verbally assaulting and harassing USC alumni with homophobic and sexist remarks, have been provided a platform at Russell House. The student organization responsible for this event has also been observed using inappropriate and offensive language in the past.   

The values espoused this student organization and the lack of action taken by the university are not in alignment with the values outlined in the Carolinian Creed. This organizations discriminatory views directly target the diverse minority population of students and alumni at USC, a community that the university takes great pride in.   

The hosting of this event and the allowance of more events of this nature exemplifies a larger issue at USC, where minority students have been expressing their grievances since 2021 regarding the environment they are/were forced to learn in, leading to various on campus advocacy movements, with little to no acknowledgment from the university. 

In order to ensure an environment of inclusive excellence, we must prevent USC from being associated with events like to ensure  marginalized students who experience discrimination outside of campus can feel safe and welcomed at our university.   

Office of the President 

Email: president@sc.edu

Phone: 803-777-2001

Board of Trustees

Phone: 803-777-3106

Email: trustees@sc.edu