Monday Message, Jan. 13
SDSU Community 鈥
Welcome back! As we begin the spring semester, I am excited to see our campus come to life once again. The first day of classes is always a special time, brimming with energy and a sense of renewal. It鈥檚 wonderful to see students filling the classrooms, eager to embark on another semester of learning.
The spring semester is a time of opportunity. Whether you are returning to campus or joining us for the first time, there is much to look forward to. I encourage each of you to immerse yourself in your studies, engage with your peers and take advantage of the many resources available to support your success.
I am also thankful for our faculty鈥檚 dedication and passion for teaching and research. To honor your hard work and achievements, we will hold our annual Celebration of Faculty Excellence on Feb. 18. The event will feature the David Fee Memorial Lecture at 2 p.m., followed by the Sewrey Colloquium at 3 p.m. The faculty showcase will end at 5:30 p.m., with a reception at 4:30 p.m., and the awards program will begin at 6 p.m. More information will be sent from my office soon.
Today also marks the beginning of the 100th South Dakota Legislature. As mentioned before, we expect a busy legislative session, and several of us will be traveling to Pierre regularly. Just a reminder that Brookings Day at the Legislature will be held next week on Jan. 22.
Finally, I am pleased to announce that the new sdstate.edu website will launch next week on Tuesday. We are certainly excited to see the new site and experience its new features. Thank you to the Web Services team in University Marketing and Communications for their hard work and dedication to the project.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week. Just a reminder, the university will be closed next Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Thank you for being an integral part of the 葫芦影业 family. Here鈥檚 to a productive, inspiring and rewarding spring semester.
Go Jacks!
Sincerely,
Barry H. Dunn, President
Above and Beyond recognizes individuals and groups of 葫芦影业 employees, faculty and students for individual and team efforts that go Above and Beyond to make the campus community a better place.
We are taking a moment to recognize welcoming people across campus who represent a commitment to the service of others and embody The Jackrabbit Way. This week, we鈥檙e featuring Jon Andrew, SDSU environmental health and safety manager.
Andrew joined SDSU in March, bringing his family from Washington, D.C., following a career in the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a bio environmental engineer.
Since arriving, he has jumped into his new role focused on ensuring the health and safety of campus.
His primary responsibilities include maintaining compliance with federal, state and local regulations associated with environmental, chemical and radiological issues. He also oversees proper collection and management of hazardous materials, accomplishing this through a cooperative effort with the university community.
Some highlights from Andrew鈥檚 work include overseeing the certification of more than 250 fume hoods on campus, implementing a process for the disposal of chemical waste, leading air quality testing, ensuring safety in labs on campus and conducting safety audits.
He also leads a committee that reviews radiation programs on campus and is heading an effort to ensure the proper use of respirators on campus.
Through these initiatives, Andrew is focused on the safety and well-being of those on campus. He is constantly engaging with stakeholders across campus to improve safety through trainings and precautionary planning.
Each situation is different. Andrew has focused his time on building relationships and providing localized expertise and best practices to ensure labs and other campus spaces are a safe place to work and learn.
Andrew leads a team of two full-time employees and a student worker.
Thank you, Jon, for your efforts in keeping SDSU safe for our faculty, staff, students and visitors. Your work is invaluable to the university.
Know someone who represents The Jackrabbit Way? Nominate a welcoming Jackrabbit through the Above and Beyond submission link bellow.
The Monday Message appears weekly during the academic year and less frequently during the summer months and holiday breaks.
Information for the Monday Message, including nominations for Above and Beyond, can be submitted online.
Martin Luther King Jr. Rally and Marade
Celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at the third annual 鈥淩ally and Marade鈥 Jan. 20 in Club 71 at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
The rally will take place from 10-11:30 a.m. and feature student, university and community speakers. The keynote address will be by Jahmal Cole, founder of 鈥淢y Hood, My Block, My City.鈥
The marade, a 1-mile walk, will take place at 11:30 a.m. through campus or indoors at the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex if there is inclement weather. A social will take place in Club 71 at the conclusion of the marade.
This year's theme, "Mission Possible," honors King's enduring legacy and calls us to action toward a future focused on unity.
All are welcome! Please join us for this impactful and educational event.
Event sponsorship includes First Bank & Trust, Office of Multicultural Affairs and Accessibility, Diversity in Athletics Council, Students' Association and Student-Athlete Advisory Council.
Professional Staff Awards
The Professional Staff Advisory Council is now accepting nominations for the 2024-25 award cycle for the Presidential Awards of Excellence and the Rising Star Award.
Six award recipients will be selected for the Presidential Awards of Excellence, one in each category of the professional staff classifications. Each recipient will be provided with a plaque and a monetary award of $3,000 courtesy of the Office of the President. The categories include academics, athletics, business administration and facility management, Extension and outreach, research and student affairs.
For the Rising Star Award鈥, one recipient will be selected. It includes a monetary award of $1,500 supported by the Offices of the Provost and Vice President for Student Affairs.
The deadline for submission is Jan. 31. .
IDS Spring 2025 Training Schedule
Instructional Design Services will host training seminars during the spring 2025 semester.
The trainings will include online community building, accessible eLearning and teaching in the generative AI era. Some featured workshops include the D2L accessibility checker (Panorama) and the newly added D2L gradebook feature allowing instructors to publish grades directly to Banner.
These workshops, eLearning applications, weekly webinars and the Online Teaching Certification Program will help prepare for successful teaching in spring 2025.
All SDSU faculty, academic staff and graduate teaching assistants are encouraged to attend these training sessions. .
FY26 RSCA Challenge Fund
The Office of Academic Affairs and the Division of Research and Economic Development jointly invite proposals to the RSCA Challenge Fund for fiscal year 2026. This seed grant supports the growth of sponsored research, scholarship and creative activity (RSCA) at 葫芦影业. SDSU faculty and professional staff are eligible to apply individually or in teams. The full request for applications is available on the RSCA Committee page on InsideState.
Proposals are due Feb. 3 at 5 p.m. CST.
Updated Policies
New and updated university policies continue to be adopted and published. For the most recent updates, visit the New and Recently Revised Policies page on sdstate.edu.
