Dear Alumni and Friends,
The summer months are upon us, and our campus is vibrant with plants and trees in full bloom. We enjoyed being in Frost Arena for commencement this spring following our 2021 outside ceremony. We had a wonderful time welcoming new SDSU alumni and awarding more than 2,800 degrees. Being able to shake the students’ hands as they walked across the stage to begin their next journey is one of the most rewarding moments for me as president of this great university.
We pride ourselves for continuous improvement efforts, and graduation is one of those areas. We graduate large classes each year, even when we have not seen growth in our classes of first-time students. Students today are entering SDSU with college credits earned during high school, therefore lessening their time on campus. A shorter time to graduation allows them to explore other opportunities like study abroad or they can finish school in three years with less overall cost of attendance.
The value of a degree at SDSU has never been stronger. The quality of education combined with affordable tuition and fees makes being a Jackrabbit very attractive. Thanks to the South Dakota State Legislature we received an additional $8.6 million in base general funds to allow the South Dakota Board of Regents to freeze tuition. This is a significant move as we see other university systems increasing tuition due to high inflationary times.
We are using the summer months to prepare to welcome our class of first-year students to campus as they begin their journey as Jackrabbits.
In addition to the tuition freeze, the legislature provided momentum in other ways, propelling us into the next year. The bills passed will allow for critical renovations, funding to support technology to benefit world-class research taking place at SDSU, and partnerships that will move our communities and state forward.
The reach of SDSU as the state’s first land-grant university will continue to expand thanks to legislative support to grow our nursing programs in Rapid City and Aberdeen with new facilities at Black Hills State and Northern State. Additionally, we are receiving funding to build a multipurpose facility at the Cottonwood Agricultural Experiment Station that will support Extension programs and research in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.
We are also extremely fortunate to receive funding that will repair and replace critical infrastructure like the HVAC system in Briggs Library and sewer and water throughout campus. These projects are not the most exciting but are very important to keep a 140-year-old campus properly functioning.
I personally want to thank all the legislators who supported these bills, our Jackrabbits Advocates who helped inform key stakeholders, and everyone on my leadership team who was present throughout session. These efforts will make a positive impact on our university.
Thank you for being a friend of SDSU. We are certainly fortunate to have the tremendous support we do from the thousands of Jackrabbits around the globe.
Please have a wonderful summer, and I hope to see you on campus this fall.
Go Jacks!
Sincerely,
Barry H. Dunn
President
