This collection documents the operations, services, and development of Facilities and Services (formerly the Physical Plant) at South Dakota State University. Records span a wide range of topics including campus infrastructure, departmental services, safety, sustainability initiatives, and administrative operations.

Materials include documentation related to academic buildings, the Central Farm Barn, campus maps, organizational charts, departmental profiles, annual and construction reports, service guides, work order forms, and forms related to signage, carillon performances, and parking permits. Security-related content includes multiple security reports, police department information, and campus safety pamphlets, along with historical and regulatory documentation concerning parking and traffic from 1958 to 1991.

Guidelines and procedures for central mailing services are detailed, along with newsletters, announcements, and facts about the Physical Plant’s operations. Notably, the collection contains a historic restroom hand and face dryer from Wecota Hall.

A significant portion of the collection focuses on sustainability efforts at SDSU. This includes correspondence, reports, brochures, posters, planning documents, recycling guides, committee records, and budget materials related to environmental stewardship. Topics covered include the university’s recycling and waste management initiatives, sustainability curriculum and events such as Green Fest and the Wellness Fair, and documentation of SDSU’s recognition as a STARS Silver Institution by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. The collection also includes a record of outreach programs such as the Spruce Up SDSU campaign and Tiny House Tours.

The collection provides insight into the evolution of campus facilities management at SDSU, reflecting institutional priorities in infrastructure maintenance, security, sustainability, and environmental responsibility. It documents both daily operations and long-term planning, highlighting the department’s role in supporting the university’s physical and ecological footprint.

South Dakota State University was established in 1881 as Dakota Agricultural College, with its first permanent building, later known as Old Central, completed in 1883. As the institution expanded in the early twentieth century, additional academic and administrative structures were constructed, including Lincoln Hall in 1927 and the Coughlin Campanile in 1929, which became a defining architectural landmark of the campus. Over subsequent decades, the university added facilities to support engineering, agriculture, research, student life, and athletics, reflecting steady institutional growth from a land grant college to a comprehensive university. Historic buildings such as Old Central, Lincoln Hall, and the Coughlin Campanile stand alongside later additions including research laboratories, residence halls, and athletic venues, illustrating successive phases of campus development.

This artificial collection consists of assembled materials related to the buildings and landmarks of South Dakota State University. Developed over time from departmental files, staff contributions, and individual donations rather than through a formal records transfer process, the collection varies in scope and completeness. Materials span from the late nineteenth century to the present and document construction, renovation, maintenance, and commemorative activities associated with campus structures. Records include architectural plans, capital outlay reports, budget data, blueprints, specifications, maintenance files, dedication programs, and anniversary materials. Buildings represented include academic halls, agricultural and research facilities, libraries, residence halls, student unions, athletic venues, and landmark structures. The collection documents the physical growth of the campus and the evolution of its infrastructure across multiple generations.