BOV raises minimum cadet residency requirements to enhance development

Knobs at The Citadel during challenge week

The Citadel Board of Visitors (BOV) voted to raise the minimum number of semesters students pursuing a cadet degree must complete on campus in the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. Beginning with the Class of 2024, a student must have lived on campus with the Corps for six semesters (or five with one approved study abroad semester) rather than four.

The BOV voted unanimously to raise the minimum cadet residency requirement during a meeting held on campus Dec. 2.

The new language in the cadet catalogue will read:

For all South Carolina Corps of Cadet members, a minimum of six semesters of residence at The Citadel —or five semesters in residence plus one semester in an approved study abroad program —are required for graduation regardless of the number of course credits approved for transfer and credit by examination submitted to the institution.

“One of the strongest elements of The Citadel’s brand is the Leadership Development Model every cadet experiences in the barracks,” said Col. Fred L. Price, chair of The Citadel Board of Visitors. “This proven training paradigm takes a minimum of three years to deliver, with each individual progressing from ‘following’ as knobs, to engaging, serving, and finally leading within the Corps.”

Cadets are required to complete leadership training throughout their education at the college. Some transfer to The Citadel mid-way through their college careers or matriculate with numerous college credits earned during high school, reducing the number of semesters required for academic eligibility for graduation.

Price explained that the six semester requirement ensures every cadet has adequate time to participate in the college’s high-impact practices and peer-to-peer leadership experiences.

“We recognize and applaud efforts to complete college-level coursework,” he said. “But we are implementing the six semester requirement to assure every Citadel cadet receives the transformational leadership experience that has made our graduates so successful.”

The motion approved by the BOV read:

In recognition of the significance and life-changing effect of The Citadel’s Leadership Development Model, The Citadel Board of Visitors approves, as a graduation requirement, that students pursuing a cadet degree must serve as a member of the Corps of Cadets for at least six full semesters, effective with the class of 2024. Participation in a Citadel-approved study abroad program shall qualify as such service.

Approximately 20 cadets graduated with fewer than six semesters residing on campus with the Corps in the past four years.