For the second year in a row, the Coastal Carolina University board of trustees met at the Pastides Alumni Center near the University of South Carolina campus in Columbia, in coordination with attending a legislative reception in the city on Feb. 27. During its general board meeting on Feb. 28, the trustees approved operating and lease agreements with the city of Myrtle Beach for a theatre facility.

The city is constructing the theatre facility downtown in the 800 block of Main Street. It will be used for the development and presentation of CCU’s cultural arts, music, and theatrical programs, events, and third-party rentals.

The board also approved a new online degree completion program in general business. The program aligns with the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education’s Ascend 60x30 plan to “increase the proportion of South Carolinians with high-quality postsecondary credentials to 60% by 2030.” It will be housed in the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration and is designed to primarily serve two audiences: Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degree holders; and returning learners who earned some college credit without degree completion.

Students will complete courses required of all business students and can self-select their focus of study by completing at least 18 credits in business at the upper level. The online modality allows for flexibility to meet students’ varied interests and the ability to concurrently manage school, work, and family commitments. Graduates of this program could potentially advance their career paths with an earned bachelor’s degree.

The proposed implementation date for this program is Fall 2025. The new degree program must be approved by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges before being officially added to the University curriculum.

In other action, the board approved a multi-phase renovation of CINO Grille, located in the Lib Jackson Student Union, beginning in Summer 2025. Planned updates include a redesigned food service operation, smart locker food delivery system, new flooring and furniture, and outdoor seating concepts. The project will be funded by Aramark, CCU’s contracted food service provider.

The board’s next scheduled meetings are May 1-2, 2024.