< [Effective until July 1, 2002, this section reads as follows:] >

Eligible employees employed by publicly-supported four-year and post-graduate institutions of higher education on or after July 1, 1987, shall elect either to join the South Carolina Retirement System or to participate in the optional retirement program under this chapter on or before December 1, 1987, or within ninety days after entry into service, whichever is later. Eligible employees employed by a publicly-supported technical college on or after July 1, 1998, shall elect either to join the South Carolina Retirement System or to participate in the optional retirement program under this chapter on or before December 1, 1998, or within ninety days after entry into service, whichever is later. The election must be made in writing and filed with the Retirement System and the appropriate officer of the employee's participating institution and is effective on the date of employment. If an eligible employee fails to make the election provided in this section, the member is considered to have elected membership in the South Carolina Retirement System.