March 9, 2020: First two cases of COVID-19 are detected in South Carolina by DHEC.
March 10, 2020: Study abroad students forced to return home after former President Donald Trump’s travel ban announcement.
March 11, 2020: Spring break extended until March 22. The initial plan was to resume online on March 23 and in-person on April 6.
March 17, 2020: Students no longer allowed to live in on-campus housing until April 5, given three days to retrieve “essential belongings.”
March 19, 2020: USC to conduct remote learning through online classes for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester.
March 23, 2020: Online classes begin via Blackboard Collaborate, Google Classroom, Zoom and other virtual platforms.
April 1, 2020: USC announces refunds for meal plans, parking and on-campus residential housing.
April 1, 2020: The faculty senate votes to approve pass/fail option for online classes in the spring semester.
April 2, 2020: President Bob Caslen announces USC will extend online learning through Aug. 1.
May 6, 2020: USC to resume in-person instruction during fall 2020 semester.
May 17, 2020: USC to end in-person classes after Thanksgiving break and cancel fall break.
May 25, 2020: USC announces face coverings will be required on campus beginning June 1.
May 31, 2020: Students return to campus to gather belongings, or have them stored or shipped on their behalf.
June 19, 2020: Fall 2020 study abroad programs canceled.
June 21, 2020: Nursing students among the first group of students to return to campus.
June 23, 2020: Cost-cutting furloughs announced.
July 11, 2020: In-person commencement canceled for 2020 December graduates.
July 14, 2020: ICE and DHS rescind guidelines saying international students need to take at least one in-person class.
Aug. 19, 2020: Saliva tests begins being used to detect COVID-19 at USC.
Aug. 24, 2020: First sorority houses are quarantined, starting with Tri Delta and Chi Omega.
Aug. 27, 2020: Three additional Greek village houses quarantined for five total. Four Greek organizations put on interim suspension for throwing parties.
Aug. 28, 2020: Sixth Greek Village house is quarantined due to members testing positive for COVID-19.
Aug. 31, 2020: Three more Greek houses in quarantine, totaling at nine.
Sept. 2, 2020: Interfraternity Council announces fall fraternity recruitment will be virtual.
Sept. 2, 2020: Two possible clusters located in two residence halls.
Sept. 3, 2020: Saliva testing canceled due to personnel shortage; testing capacity reduced.
Sept. 4, 2020: USC faces 1,461 total active cases of COVID-19 on campus, the highest in its current history.
Sept. 8, 2020: Saliva testing resumes with a capacity of 200 tests a day.
Sept. 9, 2020: Carolina Socialists protest the lack of testing and other university decisions.
Sept. 11, 2020: Eight Greek Village houses are let out of quarantine.
Oct. 4, 2020: USC announced no “traditional spring break.”
Oct. 27, 2020: Quarantine and isolation housing empty for the first time during fall 2020 semester.
Nov. 8, 2020: Nearly 1,000 students reported for COVID-19 violations since the start of fall 2020 semester.
Nov. 23, 2020: USC announces plan for mandatory testing for the spring 2021 semester.
March 8, 2021: South Carolina moves into phase 1b of vaccination process, which allows "more than half of everyone" in SC to be vaccinated, according to DHEC Director Dr. Edward Simmer.
March 10, 2021: USC announces in-person graduation for spring class of 2021 graduates and make-ups for December graduates.
March 31, 2021: The state of South Carolina expands vaccine eligibility to all those 16 and older.