Board of Trustees

A group picture of the Board of Trustee.

The Board of Trustees consists of 20 members.

  • Two members from each of the South Carolina congressional districts
  • Three at-large members elected by the General Assembly
  • One member who shall be the Governor or designee
  • One member appointed from the State at-large by the Governor
  • One member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the College of Charleston Alumni Association

The final authority and responsibility for the governance of the College of Charleston is vested in the Board in accordance with the statutes of the State of South Carolina. Although the Board of Trustees delegates the administration of the campus under its authority to the President of the College, its right to intervene in all matters pertaining to the College is not abrogated by this delegation of authority.

Mission, Vision & Values

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Mission Statement

Founded in 1770, the College of Charleston is a public university grounded in the principles of the liberal arts and committed to developing ethically centered, intellectually versatile, and globally fluent citizens who create innovative solutions to social, economic, and environmental challenges.

Vision Statement

The College of Charleston will be a transformative national university redefining liberal arts education through innovation.

Core Values

Integrity: We take accountability for our actions and adhere to the highest ethical standards in all our professional obligations and personal responsibilities. We demonstrate respect for self, others, and place.

Academic Excellence: We are committed to a dynamic intellectual community, high academic standards, strong academic programs, exceptional teacher-scholars, engaged students and lifelong learners.

Liberal Arts Education: We encourage intellectual curiosity and foster each student's ability to think creatively and analyze, synthesize, apply, and communicate knowledge from many sources.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: We create and nurture a diverse and inclusive community demonstrated through our thoughts, words, and actions. We value and respect the unique perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences every individual has to offer.

Student Centeredness: We are devoted to nurturing thriving scholar-citizens through the intellectual, ethical, and social development of each individual student.

Innovation: We act with an entrepreneurial spirit to imagine and implement creative, bold, and sustainable solutions in our pursuit of excellence and continuous improvement.

Public Mission: We demonstrate social responsibility in meeting the educational and professional needs of our community, our state, our nation, and the world.

For more information, please visit The College of Charleston's Strategic Plan Website.

The Trustees Named in the Charter of 1785

  • Gov. William Moultrie
  • Lt. Gov. Charles Drayton
  • Joseph Atkinson
  • Thomas Bee
  • Richard Beresford
  • Daniel Bourdeaux
  • Daniel De Saussure
  • Thomas Heyward, Jr.*
  • Richard Hutson
  • Ralph Izard
  • John Lloyd
  • Gabriel Manigault
  • John Matthews
  • Arthur Middleton*
  • David Oliphant
  • Charles Pinckney**
  • Charles Cotesworth Pinckney**
  • David Ramsay
  • Edward Rutledge*
  • John Rutledge**
  • Robert Smith
  • William Loughton Smith
  • Arnoldus Vanderhorst
    * Signed Declaration of Independence
    ** Signed U. S. Constitution