Academic Affairs Records

Identity elements

Reference code

UA 002

Level of description

Records

Title

Academic Affairs Records

Date(s)

  • 1902-2019 (Creation)

Extent

35.84 linear feet [34 records boxes, 2 document cases]

Name of creator

Administrative history

Prior to 1960, administration of academic programs and issues at South Dakota State College was left to those departments or areas in need. In 1960, the growing administrative duties were consolidated under the new position of Dean of Academic Affairs. In 1973, this title was changed to Vice President of Academic Affairs. This new title better reflected the position's importance in the university hierarchy. A similar position, Vice President for Administration (formerly known as Assistant to the President), was created at the same time and is responsible for administrative offices and programs within the university.

The Vice President for Academic Affairs answers directly to the president of the university. Deans of all colleges within the university answer directly to the Vice President. These include Arts and Science, Agriculture and Biological Sciences, Family and Consumer Sciences, Engineering, Nursing, Pharmacy, General Registration, Education and Counseling, and the Graduate School. The Dean of Libraries also answers to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. / The purpose of this office is to deal with all aspects of academic affairs, including curriculum, faculty development, scholarship requirements, advising, honorary degrees, and dishonesty appeal.

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

The bulk of the material is composed of administrative material generated and received by the Office of the President of South Dakota State University.

Folders consists of correspondence, budget material, reports, committee minutes, accreditation material, master and strategic planning files, South Dakota Board of Regents files, material related to Resolution 21, the college name change, and the engineering controversy of the 1970s. Also includes are files related to student organizations, campus buildings, statistics, anniversary celebrations, university history, and photographs.

Administrative
This material is composed of material dealing with promotion of the Schultz-Werth Award, workload policies, university self-study reports, faculty development opportunities, faculty recognition programs, and academic administrative events calendars. Folders include brochures, posters, reports, correspondence, newsletters, and programs.

Commencement
The Vice President and Provost of Academic Affairs is responsible for the organization of commencement exercises at South Dakota State University. The material is composed files collected by the Vice President and Provost of Academic Affairs for the organization of commencement exercises at South Dakota State University. Folders include programs, addresses, distinguished professor and honorary doctorate programs, scripts, and photographs (both print and digital).

Committees
The committee material is composed mainly of the minutes from the Academic Affairs Committee. These minutes have notations in the margin indicating the subject of each paragraph and include an index for the years 1961-1988 which gives access to a variety of subjects discussed at each meeting dating from 1961 to 1986; minutes for 1987 to present are housed in the Vice President of Academic Affairs office. Also included in this series are reports of the Biology/Microbiology Study Committee, the Engineering Advisory Council and the Committee on Health and Sanitation; and minutes for the Regents of Education Inter-Institutional Committee for Education Coordination and the Board of Regents Committee on Academic and Student Affairs visit to SDSU.

Curriculum requests
The Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost is responsible for curriculum management at South Dakota State University. Curriculum management is defined as the allocation and utilization of institutional resources to support needed viable programs and to promote effective teaching-learning, scholarship, and service. The material is composed of curriculum request submitted to Academic Affairs for approval by that office and the South Dakota Board of Regents. These requests are composed of Minor Course Modifications (formerly Class I), New/Revised Course Requests (formerly Class II), Program Requests (formerly Class III), Intent to Plan Forms, Program Modifications, and Program Terminations. Also included are files dealing with Common Course Numbering, summaries of net changes for the university, and correspondence. Researchers will also find a few Academic Affairs Committee minutes scattered throughout the collection.

Departmental Standards
This material is composed of papers which include information on departmental and faculty performance and goals for each department. Also included is a substantial amount of correspondence relating to the Departmental Standards.

Institutional Program Reviews
The primary purpose for conducting institutional program reviews is to continuously improve the quality of educational programs. Periodic program review involves stakeholders in the improvement of academic programs. Such review includes an analysis of past performance which is used to inform present and future directions and decision-making. The review process must be integrated with strategic planning and budgeting, with regional and specialized accreditation processes, and with student-learning outcome assessment. This material is composed of reviews for various programs and departments, arranged within their respective colleges. Also included are summaries of Institutional Program Reviews by year that were submitted to the Board of Regents.

Subject files
This series is composed of budget reductions and reallocation of funds material, the Board of Regents goals and mission study, the Student Implementation Project, Bush Faculty Development Project and Division I. Folders contain budget and reallocation material including data on the Governor’s 5% reduction, Resolution 21, and Resources Allocation Model (or RAM). The Board of Regents goals and mission study includes the data from the Board of Regents Committee on Academic and Student Affairs visit to South Dakota State University, impacts, priorities, and proposed changes. The Division I is composed of reports, correspondence and clippings.

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

This collection is open to researchers without restrictions. The materials in the Archives do not circulate and may be used in-house only.
Researchers conducting extensive research are asked to make an advance appointment to access archival material. Please call or e-mail prior to visiting the collection and indicate as much detail as possible about a particular topic and intended use.

Physical access

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

South Dakota State University supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted as a result of their fragile condition or by contractual agreements with donors.

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      Uploaded finding aid

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