COLOMBIA – Bob Caslen has built a career managing crises as an army general, overseeing troops deployed in the Middle East and developing plans to combat terrorism.
As president of the University of South Carolina in March, he faced a different crisis – the COVID-19 outbreak occurred when the 32,000 students on campus were on spring break.
Epidemiologists have warned that 30 percent of students may be infected when they return to class.
Caslen made a radical decision: to close the campus.
No other SC college decided to take all classes online, but they followed the example of the USC to stem the spread of the virus.
Caslen then had to cut costs and involve the university community in his decisions. He and other senior managers have accepted temporary payment cuts. He won praise for open communication from faculty and staff, some of whom criticized his hiring in 2019 for his lack of traditional academic qualifications and curatorial lobbying by Governor Henry McMaster.
In the fall, Caslen withdrew from Gamecock football coach Will Muschamp after a series of unbalanced defeats dampened enthusiasm for the program. Football is one of the main drivers of the university, attracting students and requested donations.
Caslen, a former Army football player, participated in interviews with coaches, even by videoconference, after testing positive for COVID-19. The USC hired Shane Beamer, a former Gamecock assistant coach who was part of the team of teams that attended three consecutive matches at the College Football Playoff.
“I am absolutely convinced that he has the character that will take this program to a championship level,” said the retired general about the new coach.
