The University of South Carolina Board of Trustees approved a number of new projects at its Oct. 23, 2026, meeting tied to the USC Next master plan that will modernize and expand campus facilities.
Trustees also approved a new institute that will use USC expertise to analyze crucial state data.
New College of Pharmacy building: USC is advancing plans to move its pharmacy program to a new building on the Health Sciences Campus. The university is finishing a new School of Medicine Columbia building on this site and has started development on its neurological hospital and rehabilitation center. The board approved creating a schematic design for the new College of Pharmacy building. USC has already received $15 million in state funding to support the relocation.
New STEM Building: Final approval was given for development of a five-story STEM Innovation and Research Center building on the southwest corner of South Main and Greene streets that will promote collaboration, create industry research partnerships, and house meeting spaces and laboratories to bolster education in critical fields. The building will include an interactive “data theater” for the newly approved Institute for Public Policy described below.
Thomson Building demolition: The planned expansion and renovation of the Russell House student union will encompass the current location of the adjacent Thomson building, which housed the campus health center until 2017.
Trustees approved a new nonpartisan statewide resource, the Institute for Public Policy, that will leverage USC faculty expertise to analyze government data to support evidence-informed decision-making by policymakers.
The institute will translate state data from many subjects of interest — including education, workforce, public health, economic development, public safety, and population demographics — into accessible and actionable analysis. The institute received $1.8 million in funding from the General Assembly during this year’s legislative session.
“With a focus on meeting current needs and preparing a strong foundation for the future, we are improving the campus infrastructure and advancing our educational mission for USC students and for the state,” President Michael Amiridis said. “Our much-needed new facilities will support education and research for our faculty and students, and our new public policy institute will provide reliable data and analysis for our legislators as they make important decisions."
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