• Support USC Aiken’s mission as a comprehensive liberal arts institution that aims to produce“engaged learners and principled citizens”
• Support the faculty-identified goals of broadening students’ cultural and intellectual perspectives, and promoting lifelong learning
• Support the University of South Carolina Aiken General Education Goals and Outcomes and the AACU LEAP Objectives

• USC Aiken undergraduate students who are admitted in Fall 2009 and thereafter will attend a total of 16 ICE events over their 4-year college career. Freshman Convocation will constitute the first ICE event for entering freshmen.
• Participation in ICE events will be recorded and monitored under the supervision of the Office of Academic Affairs.
• The USCA General Education Committee will approve events for ICE credit, and the Office of Academic Affairs will develop a calendar for each academic semester and for the summer session of approved ICE events that are scheduled over a wide range of days and times. A generous number of free events and events with a nominal admission fee will be included on the calendar.
• The calendar of ICE events will be available online on the ICE website and the calendar updated twice a month.
• Seniors must complete all ICE requirements prior to graduation.
• Transfer students and change of campus students will be awarded ICE credits based on the number of credit hours they bring to USC Aiken, and must subsequently attend ICE events until they reach a total of 16 credits.
• Students admitted to and enrolled in degree programs delivered entirely online will be given online options to earn ICE credits.
• Students participating in Study Abroad programs may earn up to 4 ICE credits while overseas by participating in pre-approved inter-curricular academic events. Students participating in semester long exchange programs may earn up to 4 ICE credits by attending appropriate inter-curricular events or venues, writing a one page summary of their experience, and providing attendance documentation. (This could include a ticket stub, a program, personal photos (if allowed), or other evidence). Students on shorter study abroad programs may earn 2 ICE credits using the same criteria as the semester long programs. The student must be enrolled in an approved study abroad or internship program that yields transferable college credit for ICE credit to be approved during the time period. All such special requests must be approved by the Gen Ed Committee.
• Because the intent of the program is fundamentally academic, service activities will not count for ICE credit, e.g., fund-raising for charitable causes.
• Students may not miss regularly scheduled classes to participate in an ICE event.
• Expectations for student behavior are the same at ICE events as in the classroom, including adherence to the USCA Policy for Portable Electronic Devices.Students can be asked to leave the event if they are disruptive. This will result in no ICE credit awarded.

• Effectiveness of the ICE requirement will be assessed through questions on the NSSE, senior exit surveys, student focus groups, etc. and reviewed by the General Education Committee.

An ICE event will support USC Aiken’s mission as a comprehensive liberal arts institution that aims to produce “engaged learners and principled citizens.”ICE supports the USCA General Education Goals and Objectives as well as the Association of American Colleges and Universities LEAP Objectives. Topics will help broaden USCA students’ cultural and intellectual perspectives and promote lifelong learning.

The following types of events may be included for ICE credit:

1. Films and documentaries.The film or documentary must be introduced and discussed by an expert in the field (e.g. faculty member, community leader, professional) as part of the event, and its broader significance addressed.Time should be allowed for questions after the film.
2. Lectures.The speaker will be qualified to speak to the topic at hand, and the topic’s broader significance will be integrated into the presentation.
3. Performances and exhibits.The performer/s and artist/s will be qualified and skilled.The broader cultural significance of the work will be clarified through initial and concluding comments, program notes, or in other ways.
4. Debates and Panel Discussions.Determination of whether such activities qualify would be based on the panel’s qualifications and the topic at hand.The broader intellectual and/or cultural significance would be conveyed before and/or after the event.
5. Workshops designed to improve writing, information literacy, and/or communication skills. The speaker(s) must be qualified to speak on the topic at hand and should include opportunities for active engagement of workshop participants.

Other types of events could qualify for ICE credit if they meet the criteria stated above, and if the cultural and intellectual significance of the event supports one or more of the USCA General Education Goals. This connection must be clearly conveyed on the ICE application (see table below).

Note: on‐line programs and events that meet ICE criteria may be submitted for approval as well.

To be considered for ICE credit, applications must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the proposed event.ICE applications must clearly explain which general education goal is being supported (see table below) and the cultural or intellectual significance of the event.

The following types of events may not be included:

1. Community service activities, unless accompanied by a lecture or discussion led by an expert in the field which places the event within an academic framework that supports the USCA General Education Goals
2. “How to” or self‐improvement workshops or lectures outside the scope outlined in #5 above
3. Career preparation formats
4. Poster or other presentations of student research projects
5. Athletic, wellness and intramural events
6. Student social/entertainment activities

For students completing a USC Aiken degree at USC Sumter

• Degree completion students from USC Sumter who decide to finish their degree in Business with USC Aiken will be required to attend a maximum of 8 events, since the ICE requirement is 2 ICE events per semester and these students typically spend 2 years as a USC Aiken student.
• At a minimum, these students will have to attend 4 ICE events up to a maximum of 8 events.
• The actual number of ICE events required will be determined by the number of credit hours earned.
• The number of ICE events for these change of campus students will be determined by the number of credit hours earned by these students when they become USC Aiken students.
• The 8 events would represent the maximum a Sumter student would have to complete if it took that student 2 years to complete the degree. If it takes a student 3 years to complete the degree, the student would still only need to complete 8 ICE credits. If a student finished early, the number of ICE events required will be less and would be determined based on the number of semesters it took that student to complete the degree. If a student were to finish early, he or she would need to have his or her ICE requirement reevaluated.
• Students can select to fulfill their ICE requirements by viewing online ICE events. Students will follow the same process as the RN-BSN and Palmetto College students in terms of access and submitting their event summary for approval.
  • View more information about online ICE completion

For students completing a USC Aiken degree at USC Salkehatchie 

• Degree completion students from USC Salk who decide to finish their degree in Education with USC Aiken will be required to attend a maximum of 6 events, since the ICE requirement is 2 ICE events per semester and these students typically spend 1.5 years as a USC Aiken student.
• At a minimum, these students will have to attend 4 ICE events up to a maximum of 6 events.
• The actual number of ICE events required will be determined by the number of credit hours earned.
• The number of ICE events for these change of campus students will be determined by the number of credit hours earned by these students when they become USC Aiken students.
• The 6 events would represent the maximum a Salk student would have to complete if it took that student 1.5 years to complete the degree. If it takes a student 3 years to complete the degree, that student would still only need to complete 6 ICE events. If a student finished early, the amount of ICE events required will be less and would be determined based on the number of semesters it took that student to complete the degree. If a student were to finish early, he or she would need to have his or her Ice requirement reevaluated.
• Students can elect to fulfill their ICE requirements by viewing online ICE events. Students can access the online portal by contacting Dr. Patricia Fears (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Once viewed, students will complete the following for each event viewed: Title of the Event; Date of the Event; A one-page summary of the Event. This is to be sent to Dr. Tim Lintner (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
  • View more information about online ICE completion

How many ICE events must undergraduate students attend in order to graduate?

• Freshmen entering USCA in Fall 2009 and thereafter, and those who select the 2009-2010 Bulletin must attend a total of 16 ICE events in order to graduate. Freshman Convocation will count as an ICE event.
• Transfer students and change of campus students will be awarded ICE credits based on the number of credit hours they bring to USC Aiken, and must subsequently attend ICE events until they reach a total of 16.
• Returning students who have been away from USC Aiken for more than 36 months and who return in Fall 2009 or thereafter must fulfill the same ICE requirements as transfer students.
• It is strongly suggested that students attend at least 2 ICE events per semester in order to facilitate graduation.

How will students know which events they can attend for ICE credit?

• An up-to-date ICE calendar will be available on the USCA Academic Affairs website
  
• Only events that are approved by the General Education Committee count for ICE credit.
• Only events that appear on the ICE calendar will count for ICE credit.

Can students attend the same event twice and receive credit for both?

• No. Students will only be given credit for attending the event once.

Can students receive ICE credit for events attended off campus?

• No, unless the student is enrolled in an approved study abroad program that yields transferable college credit.
• Students participating in Study Abroad programs may earn up to 4 ICE credits while overseas by participating in pre-approved inter-curricular academic events. All such special requests must be approved by the Gen Ed Committee.Students participating in semester long exchange programs may earn up to 4 ICE credits by attending appropriate inter-curricular events or venues, writing a one page summary of their experience, and providing attendance documentation. (This could include a ticket stub, a program, personal photos (if allowed), or other evidence). Students on shorter study abroad programs may earn 2 ICE credits using the same criteria as the semester long programs.

Will students enrolled in degree programs delivered only online have other options for ICE events (rather than on-campus events)?

• Yes. A list of possible online options will be made available to students who qualify.

Can students whose professor requires attendance at events that also have been approved for ICE credit go to the event and get credit for both?

• Yes

Can students “bank” ICE credits or put them off until the last semester?

• Yes, although students are encouraged to attend at least 2 ICE events each semester throughout their four years.
• Advisors should monitor students’ attendance at ICE events and remind them of their responsibility re. ICE credits. Seniors will not be able to graduate without 16 ICE credits awarded.

If a student must attend a number of ICE events at the end of their senior year, will they receive priority status should the event be full?

No. Students have four years to attend events, and therefore should not take the chance that they cannot get into events at the end of their academic careers.

How will students’ attendance at events be monitored?

• Upon arriving at the event, students will have their student IDs scanned. To be counted as present, a student must have their ID scanned twice at the event (once at the beginning and once at the end). For unique situations, an ICE ticket will also still be available, which a student will fill out and turn in at the end of the event.

How do we keep students from arriving late and/or leaving an event early?

• IDs will be scanned only up to the start of the event and again after completion of the event.
• If a student uses a ticket, these tickets will be distributed only up to the start of the event, and will be collected ONLY at the end of an event.
• Students may not turn in a ticket for another student, or have an ID scanned for another student.

How will advisors and students keep track of events attended?

• Attendance at ICE events can be checked in Degree Works in SSC.

What if a student attends an event but the attendance is not recorded?

• Students should contact Dr. Tim Lintner (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)if they do not see a record of their attendance within two weeks of the event. Tickets for all ICE events will be kept until the end of the semester only.

If I try to attend an ICE event that gets cancelled can I still get credit for it?

• No. Occasionally ICE events are cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances such as a presenter falling ill or inclement weather. While we understand the inconvenience, students will not receive credit for trying to attend an event that does not take place.

How will student behavior at ICE events be monitored?

• At each event a faculty or staff member will be responsible for monitoring student behavior. Students whose behavior is deemed unacceptable will be asked to leave the event and will receive no ICE credit.
• Expectations for student behavior are the same at ICE events as in the classroom, including adherence to the USCA Policy for Portable Electronic Devices.