South Dakota State University


South Dakota State University is a public research university in Brookings, South Dakota. Founded in 1881, it is the state's largest and most comprehensive university and the oldest continually-operating university in South Dakota. The university is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, which governs the state's six public universities and two special schools.
South Dakota State University is a land grant, space grant, and sun grant university. It was founded under the provisions of the 1862 Morrill Act. This land-grant heritage and mission has led the university to place a special focus on academic programs in agriculture, engineering, nursing, and pharmacy, as well as liberal arts. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies South Dakota State University as a Research University with high research activity. The graduate program is classified as Doctoral, Science, Technology, Engineering, Math dominant.

History

The university was founded in the Dakota Territory on February 21, 1881, as Dakota Agriculture College. The first building, with funding from the territorial legislature, was built in 1883, six years before the State of South Dakota was formed. Numerous expansions were funded in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The name was changed in 1904 to South Dakota State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. In 1964, the name was changed to South Dakota State University. The name change was largely promoted by the Alumni Association. Initiated in 1962, this name change reflected the more comprehensive education offered at the university.
In 1923, SDSU's instructional program was organized under five divisions: Agriculture, Engineering, General Science, Home Economics, and Pharmacy. In 1956, a Nursing program was established, and in 1957 a formal graduate school was formed. When the University changed its name in 1964, the colleges were renamed Agriculture and Biological Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Home Economics, Nursing, Pharmacy, and the Graduate School. In 1974, the College of General Registration was formed. In 1975, the Division of Education was created. An Honors College was formed in 1999. Two colleges and seven departments combined in 2009 to create the College of Education and Human Sciences.
In 2017, the colleges which make up the university were revised and in some cases renamed to the following: College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Education and Human Sciences; College of Nursing; College of Pharmacy & Allied Health Professions;
Graduate School; Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering; University College; and Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College.

Presidents

On May 23, 2016, Barry H. Dunn became the 20th President of South Dakota State University. Dunn and his wife are alumni of SDSU, and prior to becoming president, Dunn was the Dean of SDSU's College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences.
  1. George Lilley, 1884–1886
  2. Lewis McLouth, 1886–1896
  3. John Heston, 1896–1903
  4. James Chalmers, 1903–1906
  5. Robert Slagle, 1906–1914
  6. Ellwood Perisho, 1914–1918
  7. Willis Johnson, 1919–1923
  8. Charles Pugsley, 1923–1940
  9. George Brown, 1940
  10. Lyman Jackson, 1941–1946
  11. Fred Leinbach, 1947–1951
  12. John Headley, 1952–1957
  13. H. M. Crothers, 1957–1958
  14. Hilton Briggs, 1958–1975
  15. Sherwood Berg, 1975–1984
  16. Ray Hoops, 1984–1985
  17. Robert Wagner, 1985–1997
  18. Peggy Gordon Miller 1998–2006
  19. David Chicoine, 2006–2016
  20. Barry H. Dunn, 2016–present

    Campus

Main campus

The Hilton M. Briggs Library consists of more than 635,000 bound volumes, 315,000 government documents, 79,000 maps, and 1,800 journal titles. Within the Briggs Library is the Daschle Research Library dedicated to former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, which houses his Congressional papers.
The University Student Union is at the center of campus and houses many amenities for both students and the public. The Union is the home to numerous meeting rooms, a ballroom, The Hobo Day Committee the University Program Council, Greek life the Students' Association, The Collegian student newspaper, Student Legal Services, KSDJ 90.7 FM, Dining Services, four eating facilities, the University Bookstore, Card Services, and International Student Affairs.
The SDSU Wellness Center opened in the fall of 2008. The building lightens up space in the HPER Center, allowing that to be used exclusively by athletes, while the Wellness Center is used only by students and the public. Student memberships are free and Brookings community members may purchase memberships. Numerous group exercise programs and classes are offered, along with personal training. The building houses a rock climbing wall, a track, three basketball courts, a competition size swimming pool, and numerous weights and cardiovascular equipment. It is also the home of Student Health, which includes a full pharmacy for students.

West campus

The Coughlin Campanile, formerly used as the campus bell tower, is a familiar sight around campus. The campus also has two museums, the South Dakota Art Museum, and the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum. The art museum is home to over 7,000 works of art, while the agricultural museum is home to over 100,000 objects. Both museums are open free to the public. The university operates its own dairy plant, processing 10,000 lb of milk weekly into cheese and ice cream, operates a cattle and sheep breeding operation, has an on-campus meat processing facility, and has a student-operated pharmacy.

East campus

Also close to campus are the McCrory Gardens and South Dakota Arboretum. These gardens include a public display and a arboretum. The gardens are open daily to the public. SDSU is also home to State University Theatre and Prairie Repertory Theatre, which produce numerous plays and musicals during the school year and summer breaks.

Academics

SDSU awards associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees. The university provides 175 fields of study. The university's colleges and schools include College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Education and Human Sciences; College of Nursing; College of Pharmacy & Allied Health Professions; Graduate School; Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering; University College; and Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College.
The following accreditations have been awarded to SDSU:
For 2020, U.S. News & World Report rated South Dakota State University as tied for the 135th best public university in the United States and tied as the 272nd best university overall.

Political Science Department

SDSU's Department of Political Science has been successful at producing many of the state's current and past congressional delegations. Currently, two of South Dakota's three congressional members are alumni in U.S. Senator Mike Rounds and U.S. Representative Kristi Noem. Noem completed her political science degree while she was in Congress. Perhaps the most notable of the program is former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. Former U.S. Representative Stephanie Herseth has served as a professor of the program. The department produced two Truman Scholars in 2004 and 2006 respectively, including Tony Venhuizen.

Department of Military Science

The Department of Military Science commissions officers into the military. The Department's cadets complete the requirements for a bachelor's or graduate degree and are then commissioned as Second Lieutenants.
The department has been successful in producing many U.S. Generals including William E. DePuy, Jake Krull, Raymond W. Carpenter, Franklin J. Blaisdell, Mark A. Clark, as well as Medal of Honor winners Leo K. Thorsness and Willibald C. Bianchi.

Research achievements

South Dakota State University currently ranks among the Midwest's top research universities, notably in the fields of agricultural science, biological science, and engineering. It is consistently listed in U.S. News and World Report's "Top 200 National Universities" in its college and university rankings.
The campus is also home to the Geospatial Sciences Center of Excellence, a research and educational collaboration with United States Geological Survey Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science. The GSCE focuses on basic and applied research in terrestrial remote sensing. SDSU was recognized in 2017 by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy as the 7th most productive university in the US for remote sensing research for the period 2011–2015.
The university operates the South Dakota state agricultural research stations around the state, such as the Antelope Range and Livestock Research Station near Buffalo.
The Great Plains Writers Conference is a venue for significant regional authors or writers interested in the Great Plains. It was instituted at SDSU in 1976 for writing scholarship.


Alumni from the university's research community notable for scientific achievements include:
SDSU offers a variety of online programs. The university offers associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and certificate programs that students can complete online.

Residential life

Students have a variety of residential hall and apartment living choices. Student housing is located in three areas: the Medary complex located in the northwest corner of campus, consisting of traditional residence halls, Hansen, and Waneta, and apartment-style living at Meadows North and Meadows South; the Grove complex near the Student Union, consisting of traditional residence halls, Brown, Mathews and Pierson, as well as a newer variation on the theme of traditional residence halls in Spencer, Thorne and Abbott ; and the Larson complex on the east side of campus, consisting of traditional halls Binnewies and Young and suite living at Caldwell Hall. The residential halls on the campus of SDSU make up the densest concentration of people in South Dakota.
All of the residence halls with the exceptions of Caldwell and both Meadows buildings are co-ed by wing, with each wing having its own bathroom. Caldwell Hall is suite style, meaning two rooms share a common bathroom for the four occupants and each floor on Caldwell is co-ed. The Meadows North and Meadows South apartment complexes feature four-bedroom apartments.
In addition to the Medary, Grove, and Larson complexes for single students, SDSU has 80 one-bedroom apartments and eight two-bedroom apartments available for rent for married students in State Court and State Village. State Court and State Village are located on the southeast side of campus.
Some residence halls have a Living/Learning Community, where an entire floor is composed of a certain group of students. Examples include Agriculture and Biology Majors, Honors College, Engineering House, Health Professionals House and Substance-Free.
Furniture in the halls is moveable and the provided beds may be lofted; students do not need to purchase or bring their own loft. Residents may also contract phone and cable services with the appropriate companies. Washers and dryers are available in all the halls and operate with either cash or by using campus Hobo Dough.
Ben Reifel Hall, Hyde, Theodore Schultz Hall and the Honors Hall opened in the fall of 2013. Schultz Hall is home of the Ag & Rural and Wellness Living Communities and the Honors Hall, as the name suggests, is home to the Honors College. They are similar in amenities to the Jackrabbit Village halls.
The most recent addition to the dormitories was the Southeast University Neighborhood, located on the corner of 8th Street and 16th Avenue. These dorms are intended for juniors, seniors, and graduate students, and are thus more similar to regular apartments, with full kitchens, furniture, and summer storage, even a Starbucks attached. Nearby are the Townhouses, which are similar to the Neighborhood dorms, but also allow pets and do not require meal plans.

Greek societies

This list contains only social fraternities that are a part of either the Interfraternity Council or the College Panhellenic Association. Other fraternities and sororities exist as general student organizations.
The 300+ member SDSU Marching Band, "The Pride of the Dakotas", given the special name the Millennium Band in 2000 by the South Dakota State Legislature, has marched in the 1981 and 1997 Presidential Inaugural Parades in Washington, D.C.; A Capital Fourth in 2000 in Washington, D.C., which was broadcast on PBS; the 2003 and 2008 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, making them the second collegiate band in the history of the Rose Bowl to be invited to march twice when their team was not competing; and the Korean War Monument Dedication at the state's capital Pierre in 2004, in the company of two other college bands and 60-some high school bands from across the state. The homecoming celebration, Hobo Day, is "The Biggest One-Day Event in the Dakotas."

Athletics

SDSU participates in athletics as a member of NCAA Division I. SDSU's athletic conference affiliations include the Summit League for most sports, the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the Big 12 Conference and Varsity Equestrian. The Jackrabbits have 19 varsity sports and numerous intramural and club teams. South Dakota State's athletic mascot for both the men's and women's teams is the Jackrabbit, both the men's and women's sports teams are officially referred to as the Jackrabbits. However, in the late fall of 2012 SD State's wrestling team introduced the South Dakota State Blueman as their official mascot in addition to the Jackrabbit.

Men's basketball

The Jackrabbits won the 1963 NCAA College Division Basketball Tournament. The Jackrabbits have appeared in five NCAA Division I Tournaments but are 0-5 in NCAA Div 1 Tourney appearances. The highest seed attained by the Jackrabbits has been #12 in 2016 and again in 2018. The Jackrabbits play their home games at the 6,500 seat Frost Arena and were coached by Scott Nagy for 21 years until he left for Wright State in 2016, and then named T. J. Otzelberger as the new head coach. The Jackrabbits have produced seven NBA draft picks including Nate Wolters, Steve Lingenfelter, and Tom Black.

Women's basketball

The women's basketball team won the 2003 Division II Championship. The Jackrabbits played in the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 – each of their first five years of eligibility. The Jackrabbits have compiled a 2–8 record in NCAA Tournament play. The Jackrabbits have also played in the 2015, 2016, and 2018 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championships. In their Division I history, the team has compiled four regular season titles and eight postseason titles. The 2008–2009 team was ranked #14 in an ESPN/USA Today Division I Coaches Poll en route to a 32–3 record, and received large amounts of national media coverage. The highest seed they have ever received in the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship is #7 in 2009.

Men's football

The Jackrabbits have appeared in the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs nine times with an overall record of 8-8. They were Semifinalists in 2017 and 2018.
The main rivalry is with North Dakota State University. The Dakota Marker is the trophy awarded to the winner of the annual college football game played between the two. The trophy is a replica of one of many stone boundary markers that can be found along the border between the states of South Dakota and North Dakota. South Dakota State also battles their in-state rival, the University of South Dakota. South Dakota State has not lost to their in-state rival since 2000; however, despite the one-sided nature of the rivalry, it has been dubbed the South Dakota Showdown Series.

Dana Dykhouse buildings and facilities

The Dykhouse Student Athlete Center, the home of Jackrabbit football, opened prior to the 2010 football season. The Sanford Jackrabbit Athlete Complex, a state-of-the-art indoor practice and competition facility opened October 11, 2014. It is immediately north of and attached to the Dykhouse Student Athlete Center. The SJAC has bleacher seating for up to 1,000 spectators and can be used for track practice and track meets, football practice, softball and baseball practice, and other events within the SDSU athletic department. It includes 149,284-square foot facility making it the largest indoor practice facility in Division I athletics and features an eight-lane, 300-meter track, one of only five collegiate indoor tracks of that size in the nation.
The Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, a 19,340-capacity stadium, opened in the fall of 2016. It was constructed for an expansion to 22,500 and the potential for future expansion to a capacity of 40,000. It is also a soy-based AstroTurf. It is considered among the premier FCS Division 1 stadiums.

Notable alumni

South Dakota State University has produced a number of the current members of South Dakota's state government and in Congress, including Congresswoman Kristi Noem, who subsequently is the first-female Governor of South Dakota, and current U.S. Senator Mike Rounds. Members of the South Dakota Supreme Court, current Chief Justice David Gilbertson and Associate Justice Mark Salter, attended the university for their undergraduate degrees.
In the federal cabinet, Stephen Censky, current United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, and in federal foreign service, former Governor of South Dakota Dick Kneip served as United States Ambassador to Singapore. Among alumni who are political figures are seven members of Congress, most notably Majority Leader of the United States Senate, Tom Daschle and first American Indian member of Congress Ben Reifel. Alumni of South Dakota State have occupied top positions in Wall Street and the rest of the business world, including CEO of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Nizar Al-Adsani. In science and technology, alumni include IBM 360 inventor Gene Amdahl, "father of Amdahl's law", and Nobel laureate Theodore Schultz, "father of Human Capital Theory."

Academia, science, and technology