Charleston Southern University

What it reported doing in 2024

Instruction: for the fiscal year 2024-25, enrollment was 3866 undergraduate and graduate students completing traditional, online, and hybrid courses. 792 degrees (614 undergraduate, 178 graduate and doctoral) were conferred during the year, and the total number of full-time professors was 198 including deans and administrative appointees. We offered 75 undergraduate degrees/concentrations and 29 graduate degree/concentrations programs. Charleston southern university is regionally accredited by the southern association of colleges and schools commission on colleges (sacscoc), whose mission is to "assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of its member institutions". Csu is in good standing with sacscoc and our next sacscoc full 10-year review will occur in 2026-27. Csu offered 3712 courses including online and graduate courses during the 2024-2025 academic year. The university experienced a significant return of full-time traditional students while expanding program offerings for non-traditional students. Deans, senior administrators, and faculty members are continually in touch with local employers, many of whom serve on our advisory boards for the various colleges and divisions, including business, education, nursing, and computer science. Csu continues to develop new programs to increase workforce readiness through internships. As the preference for remote working continues, we have found more employers are seeking to enroll their employees in online classes to enhance their mastery of technology via the internet. We continue to increase the enrollment in our bs in aeronautics degree program. We currently have 172 students taking these classes. We continue to review their interest levels in specific areas and have upfitted an on-campus simulation lab and instructional spaces for the large number of students interested in pursuing this degree. The physical therapy program continues to grow with a new cohort of 48 students entering the program each may. The health science building was fitted with the appropriate equipment in the laboratories and classrooms that will enhance the abilities to conduct research and practice new skills. Similarly, the physician assistant program continues to be a growing program with high levels of competition for admission. Csu faculty and staff remain involved with the trident advisory board, trident united way literacy program, the lowcountry stem collaborative, and the charleston metro chamber of commerce, and continue to increase our opportunities to build partnerships with international companies who have a local presence. The college of education has also partnered with the local school districts to provide needed expansion of programs and certificate opportunities to better serve the region. The teacher cadet program remains one of the largest programs in the state.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 89.5%; rating input score 90
• Program expense ratio: 91.6%; rating input score 92
• Fundraising efficiency: $3.44 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 0.9%; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.92; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.36; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 2.3%; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 5% per year; rating input score 100; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 5.9% per year; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings