" I am an athlete here at USC Aiken. The professors work well with me, and understand that I am going to miss class occasionally. They take time to explain to me the things I missed. USC Aiken is the place for me. "
- Jeremy Smith , Business Administration major
Did You Know?
USC Aiken has some of the best professional schools in South Carolina. All three - business, nursing, and education - have received the highest level of accreditation possible. This means more opportunities for you to learn from the best and brightest the University has to offer.
"USC Aiken has the best faculty around! Professors and advisors really have your best interest in mind and will always work with you."
- Dalisha Williams, Middle School Education major
"USC Aiken has so much to offer. Whether it’s Greek life, student activities, athletics, honor societies, or residential life, our campus is full of opportunities and ways to become involved."
- Aaron Doctor, Exercise and Sports Science major
"USCA has many different students from many different backgrounds, but one thing that ties us all together is the campus atmosphere. When I left high school I was scared that I was not going to meet anyone that would be as good as my friends back home. Within my first couple of days at USCA, I had more friends than I have ever had before."
- John Ellis, Communications major
"During the course of my freshman and sophomore years, I was a resident in the Pacer Downs. When I first met my roommate my freshman year, we became the best of friends from the get-go. We found out that we were so much alike in many ways. We connected like brothers, and we are still roommates today during our junior year. "
- Anthony (T.J.) Langford, Communications major
"Getting involved in Greek Life and participating in intramural sports is a great way to meet new people. I have participated in every intramural sport offered, and it has helped me stay active. "
- TJ Johnston, Business Marketing major
"Working on campus is a great opportunity for students at USC Aiken. You have the chance to meet so many faculty and staff members and see what happens behind the scenes here at school. Your job will also work around your class schedule because they always put academics first. "
- Chris Brown, Fine Arts major
"I love living in the Honors housing here at USCA. Just living on campus makes participating in university events and activities that much easier. Living in the honors wing is an added bonus because it keeps me in close proximity with like-minded students who are committed to succeeding and in turn inspire me to reach my fullest potential. The atmosphere is great for learning."
- Kelsey LopezdeVictoria, Biology and Psychology double major
"Through the wide variety of classes and clubs, USCA offers a little something for everyone. Its small class sizes, charm, and personal professors make it the perfect choice."
- Jessica Walters, Nursing major
"As a sophomore at USCA, I have really enjoyed the college classroom setting. Since the class sizes aren’t too big, I can always get help from professors anytime I’m in need."
- Thomas Mcleod, Exercise and Sports Science major
"Attending USC Aiken has been a great experience for me. From the campus events to classes and to housing, we are a like a family – a home away from home."
- Alyssa Gadsden, Chemistry major
"I love attending USC Aiken because I feel as if am in a family oriented environment. What I love most about is its location, the independence you gain from attending, and our Pacer spirit!"
- Alesha Jones, Communications major
"I never thought I would meet people from all around the world on such a small campus. You can find the best of both worlds: the advantages of a big campus in a small, friendlier environment."
- Dana Hailat, Biology (pre-dental) major
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Get Your Computer Ready for USCA
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| Updated: Thu Sep 17 10:59:29 EDT 2009 | |
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To help your arrival on campus go as smoothly as possible, we’ve compiled the following information. Being familiar with this information, and completing as many of the suggested tasks as possible before arriving, will make your first days at school much less stressful.
You'll likely want your computer online the moment you arrive so you can stay in contact with family and friends, or connect with classmates. Unfortunately, lines at the Help Desk the first week of school are usually long and waits are even longer. If you haven't prepared your system before arriving, you may even have to leave your system with the Help Desk, possibly even for several days. Completing the steps below, before you arrive on campus, will help shorten the time it takes to get your system online.
Again you are highly encouraged to complete these steps early. If you run into an issue, you're welcome to bring your system by the Help Desk so that we can help you through any steps which might be giving you a problem. We're here to help you all Summer long as well, so avoid hours long waits by completing these steps before Move-In Weekend.
Changes for the 2009/2010 School Year
To better meet the needs of students and the university as a whole, several changes have been made regarding use of personal computers on campus. Even if you have previously connected your system on-campus, you will need to complete most of the steps below due to these changes.
As of July 1st, 2009, we have made the following changes:
Student now have their own wireless network called PacerStudent and should no longer connect to PacerNet. Personal computers which were originally connected to the PacerNet wireless network will need to switch over to this new connection.
Students are responsible for completing all steps required to connect to the USCA student network (PacerStudent). The Help Desk will only provide troubleshooting assistance in cases where set-ups or installations fail. With that in mind, please be sure to complete all of the steps below BEFORE arriving on campus.
USCA is using the Impulse SafeConnect software (in place of our previous Clean Access package) for connection to PacerStudent. This software is required on all laptops which connect to the network. The Impulse SafeConnect software can be installed directly from the web. This allows you to install the SafeConnect software, and complete all of the other tasks below, before you even arrive on campus. This will hopefully allow you to enjoy full network access from the moment you arrive...a huge improvement over past years. To make sure you're ready, please complete each of the steps below BEFORE you arrive on campus.
Tasks to Complete Before You Arrive
If you are a new or returning USCA student, you should complete the steps below before arriving on campus with your computer. Completing these tasks before arriving will help you avoid problems connecting to the USCA network. If you are not able to complete these steps, the Help Desk staff and volunteers will be available to provide troubleshooting assistance. During Move-In Weekend, we will be located in the Help Desk Assistance Area set-up in Pacer Crossings. Otherwise, we are available at the Help Desk located in B&E 238.
MAC USERS: Please note that the tasks listed here are primarily aimed at students running the Windows Operating System on their computers. Mac OS X users should pay attention to tasks 1, 2, 4, and 5, but you may have to modify the instructions to fit your system. Also, we do not currently have a set of detailed wireless setup instructions for Mac OS X. Instead, you will need to bring your system by the Help Desk to have this connection configured manually.
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Check the Minimum System Requirements: In order to provide the best experience possible, USCA requires that all systems connected to the campus student network (PacerStudent) meet a set of minimum requirements. Most systems purchased within the last two to three years will easily be able to meet these minimum requirements. However, meeting the minimum requirements will provide only a minimum networking experience. For best results, your system should exceed the minimum wherever possible. You'll find the minimum system requirements included as part of the Recommended Computer Specifications page. LINKS FOR THIS TASK |
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Make Sure your System is Free of Virus and Spyware Infection: Successful connection through SafeConnect is required to access PacerStudent and the internet, however, this may not be possible if your system is infected with viruses or spyware. These rouge programs often make it difficult, sometimes impossible, to complete the required Windows Updates. In some cases, an infection can actually disable your anti-virus programs altogether. You may not even realize these issues have occurred with your system until they are scanned by SafeConnect and the problems detected. To help eliminate this possibility, we suggest installing the following free software package on your system: Malware Bytes Anti-Malware (MBAM). You'll find instructions for the installation and usage of MBAM on its home web site. After you've installed, updated and scanned your system with this product, you will likely see just how infected your system really was. The number of infections is often shocking and can be as many as several hundred. Even on systems where there was no apparent issue, you're likely to find that a few dozen infections were quietly lurking in the background of your computer. Once you've gotten rid of everything you can with MBAM, you'll want to update your anti-virus software. If your anti-virus software updates properly, and doesn't run into errors, it is probably still in good working order. If so, you'll want to use it to run a full system scan. If your anti-virus software will not update, or runs into problems and errors, then it was likely corrupted by the infections you found earlier and will need to be replaced. You can either reinstall and update your current software, download a reliable free anti-virus program such as AVAST! Free Home Edition, or install the TrendMicro OfficeScan client (available to all USCA Students free of charge here). What ever you choose, be sure to update your anti-virus software completely and then run a full system scan. This would also be a good time to uninstall any file-sharing programs such as Limewire, Bearshare, FrostWire, or similar software. Many of these will have already been removed or disabled by the virus scans above, because they are the most likely cause of infection on your system. Also, please be aware that illegal file sharing is not allowed on PacerStudent. Any students caught illegally sharing files of any kind face loss of network privileges and possible Judicial charges as explained in the USCA Student Handbook. LINKS FOR THIS TASK TrendMicro Office Scan Anti-Virus (Free to Students): |
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Perform Windows Updates: Keeping your copy of Windows up-to-date is the most important step in protecting your system and PacerStudent from virus and spyware outbreaks. You should always leave Automatic Updates turned on and complete any critical or important Updates as they become available. SafeConnect will not allow your system full access to PacerStudent until all recommended updates are completed successfully. Depending on how up-to-date you've kept your system, completing this step may take as little as five minutes, or as many as five update and reboot cycles, to get your computer completely updated. For more information on Windows Update, including instructions on completing an update, see this section at the Microsoft site. LINKS FOR THIS TASK |
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Install Impulse SafeConnect: You can install the Impulse SafeConnect software from any computer with an internet connection, however, you will need your USCA Username and Password. To download the SafeConnect software, click here. Install PacerStudent Wireless Profile: If you plan to use wireless while on-campus, you will also need to install the PacerStudent Wireless Profile (this is required for students residing in Pacer Crossings, Pacer Downs and Commuting Students, but is suggested for all). If your computer runs Windows Vista, we have created an automated installer to handle the set-up for you. You can download the installer here. If your computer runs Windows XP, you won't be able to configure your connection until you arrive on campus, but be sure to print a copy of the XP setup instructions. Bring the instructions with you to campus and they will quickly walk you through wireless setup. You can download a copy of the XP instructions here. LINKS FOR THIS TASK PacerStudent Wireless (for Vista): PacerStudent Wireless (for XP): |
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Gather Your Software: Be sure that you gather together any software installation disks and/or restore disks for your system. These should be brought with you to school along with any registration, key, or licensing codes which might be required to install them. If you run into computer problems after arriving, these materials will be required if the Help Desk determines you need to reload your system. In the case of a catastrophic system failure, the only alternative would be costly replacement software. Avoid these additional costs and ensure you bring your software with you. Suggested Software: If you do not already have the following software installed on your system, we suggest installing them before arriving. You will have access to this software on lab and classroom computers; however, having it already installed on your personal system will be a definite benefit. We suggest: Microsoft Office (the 2003 or 2007 edition, including at least Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint) and Adobe Acrobat Reader (available free from Adobe.com). If you do not already have a copy of Microsoft Office, you are eligible to purchase it at a substantial discount though the USC VIP system. For more information, just give us a call at the Help Desk and we'll point you in the right direction. |
| CAMPUS PHONES: 4357 (HELP) NON-CAMPUS PHONES: 803-641-3391 E-MAIL: HELP@USCA.EDU |