Monday Message, Jan. 27
SDSU Community 鈥
As a new week greets us, I would like to start by thanking everyone who participated in SDSU/Brookings Day at the Capitol last week. Your engagement helps highlight the vital role higher education plays in our state, and it was encouraging to see so many advocates from our university community in attendance. Events like these showcase the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships with our legislators and other stakeholders who support the mission of 葫芦影业.
The legislative session continues to progress, and next week a few members of my team and I will present our university鈥檚 priorities to the Joint Committee on Appropriations. This presentation is an important opportunity to advocate for the resources and support that will help SDSU thrive. I鈥檓 confident in our message and grateful for the efforts of everyone involved in preparing for this important day.
This week, we will also meet with the DLR Group to review the final draft of the campus master plan. This comprehensive plan represents a 15-year vision for our beautiful campus, developed through extensive collaboration from many of you over the past several months. I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has contributed to this process. Your input has been invaluable, and I am excited about the initiatives outlined in the plan. We will share the details with the entire campus community in the coming weeks, and I look forward to working together to implement this plan together.
I would also like to invite you to review the annual President鈥檚 Report, which my office develops each year. The report offers an opportunity to reflect on the successes of the past calendar year and celebrate the outstanding work of our colleagues. At the same time, several new and emerging programs are also highlighted. The digital version is now available online, and printed copies will soon be distributed to key stakeholders across the state and region. Early next week, we will also send a digital communication to campus and hundreds of stakeholders, showcasing the incredible accomplishments of our university that are recognized far and wide. Thank you to everyone whose dedication and innovation make these achievements possible.
As we look ahead, I鈥檓 inspired by the momentum we鈥檝e built together. SDSU鈥檚 role as a premier land-grant university is a direct result of your hard work, passion and commitment to excellence. Whether it鈥檚 through engaging with state leaders, shaping our campus鈥檚 future or celebrating past accomplishments, your contributions make a meaningful difference every day.
Finally, it appears we will enjoy some warmer weather this week, a welcome change as we move deeper into the semester. I hope you find some time to enjoy it. Thank you again for all you do to advance SDSU鈥檚 mission and impact.
Go Jacks!
Barry H. Dunn
President
葫芦影业
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. This week we recognize groups involved in the success of SDSU/Brookings Day at the Capitol in Pierre on Jan 22.
SDSU/Brookings Day at the Capitol serves as an opportunity for the campus and Brookings communities to engage with lawmakers in Pierre. The day began with a social in the Capitol rotunda, where conversations were paired with SDSU ice cream.
The Statesmen choir performed a musical ensemble on the steps of the rotunda as lawmakers and visitors enjoyed the ice cream served by student Admissions Ambassadors.
Attendees were introduced in both the House and Senate chambers by the District 7 delegation.
Following the activities at the Capitol complex, lawmakers were welcomed at a reception for additional conversations with the SDSU and Brookings groups.
Thank you to Jamison Lamp and Tomoko Ichinomiya with the Office of the President and to the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce for coordinating these events in Pierre.
Additionally, thank you to South Dakota Board of Regents Executive Director Nathan Lukkes for presenting an update on the importance higher education plays in our state and community.
Thank you to everyone who made the journey to our state Capitol to represent and advocate for SDSU, the Brookings community and higher education in South Dakota.
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.
2025 Orientation Leaders
New Student Orientation (NSO) is seeking outstanding and motivated students to become members of the 2025 Orientation Leader Team. Orientation leaders are a vital part of the NSO program as orientation participants meet and connect with fellow Jackrabbits.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to nominate outstanding students who might successfully fulfill the role. Nominations can be submitted by emailing Cody Burggraff by 8 a.m. Feb. 3. Please include the student鈥檚 name, Jacks email address, major (if known) and a reason or two why the candidate would be a good orientation leader.
As nominees are received, we will forward them the position information, instructions for applying, and your name and nomination statement.
Faculty Excellence
President Dunn, Provost Hedge and the Faculty Senate invite you to attend the annual Celebration of Faculty Excellence event Feb. 18. An afternoon of lectures and faculty displays showcase the unique and excellent work of SDSU鈥檚 faculty.
2 p.m. 鈥 David Fee Memorial Lecture
3 p.m. 鈥 Sewrey Colloquium
2-5:30 p.m. 鈥 Faculty Showcase
4:30 p.m. 鈥 Reception and small plates
6 p.m. 鈥 Awards program
An RSVP for the evening is appreciated and can be found on sdstate.edu.
Jacks Virtual 5K
The South Dakota State Alumni Association will host the Jacks Virtual 5K to benefit Jack鈥檚 Cupboard, SDSU's free on-campus food pantry for students experiencing food insecurity, during the month of April. A virtual 5K is a race that can be run or walked from any location, any day or any time that you choose during the month of April. Additional information about the event and how to enter is available on the .
Undergraduate Research Funding Application
Applications are open for select summer undergraduate research programs at SDSU. Students can submit one application for research support from a variety of different funding sources, including the Joseph F. Nelson Mentorship and the Honors College Undergraduate Research Fund.
Faculty and staff should encourage students from all disciplines to submit their research interests for possible funding. Awards will be competitive and based on the design of the proposed studies, quality of the application and potential for project success.
Completed applications, including a mentor assessment of the applicant, must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. March 1.
Schultz-Werth Award Competition Application
The application portal for the Schultz-Werth Award Competition is open. Faculty and staff should encourage senior undergraduate students from all disciplines to submit their scholarly or creative projects for consideration. Awards up to $2,500 per winning student will be awarded at the end of the academic year. The deadline to submit a paper for the Schultz-Werth award is March 1. More information can be found on sdstate.edu.
Concept Proposals for Research
The Division of Research and Economic Development has launched a call for equipment concept proposals for research. To enable SDSU to implement a strategic plan for infrastructure development, faculty and staff with interest in applying for funding to support research equipment are asked to submit a concept proposal to the Division of Research for review and feedback by the director of core research support facilities.
This opportunity invites concepts for equipment with a budget of $75,000 or greater. Selected proposals may be invited to present at a meeting of the University Research Council. This is a great opportunity to receive feedback and to find new equipment users prior to a published call from a sponsor.
. Contact Jose Gonzalez, director of core facilities at SDSU, with any questions.
Continuing Student Scholarship Application
The 2025-26 Continuing Student Scholarship Application is available on MyState. Students are encouraged to complete the application. The form gives consideration to all SDSU academic scholarships for the upcoming year.
The application is available to students through their MyState account and selecting the 鈥淒ashboard鈥 tab. The 鈥淪cholarship Application鈥 section is available on the right side after scrolling down. The application website is then available by clicking the 鈥2025-2026 Continuing Student Scholarship鈥 button under the 鈥淐urrent Students鈥 section.
The priority filing date for the application is Feb. 1. Students may contact the SDSU Scholarship Office with any questions.
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 Friday. .
Griffith Honors Forum Lecture
The 2025 Griffith Honors Forum Lecture will take place in the Larson Memorial Concert Hall of the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. The Griffith Lecture is historically one of the largest campus events every year, often drawing more than 900 attendees. This year the speaker is Erin Gruwell, author of the 鈥淭he Freedom Writers Diary.鈥 Free tickets are required for attendance.
Religious and Values Forum
Kristen Renwick Monroe, Ph.D., will deliver the lecture, 鈥淢oral Courage in Times of Confusion and Despair鈥 on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the South Dakota Art Museum Auditorium. Monroe is the Chancellor's Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Irvine, and she is the founding director of the UCI Interdisciplinary Center for the Scientific Study of Ethics and Morality
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.
Additional information is available on sdstate.edu.
Applications must be electronically routed in Cayuse for institutional approval. Per SDSU policy, requests for sponsored funding must be routed no later than seven working days prior to the submission deadline. Please work with your college's grant specialist.
Submit proposals through the InfoReady portal. You must sign in using SDSU credentials (SSO) and ensure your InfoReady profile identifies SDSU, or a unit of SDSU, as your primary organization.
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.
