The Academic Affairs Records document the historical development of curriculum, faculty governance, institutional planning, and administrative decision-making at South Dakota State University from 1902 to 2018. The collection includes materials from the Office of the President, the Vice President and Provost for Academic Affairs, and various university committees. Topics covered include curricular changes, accreditation, faculty and departmental standards, budget planning, student organizations, and institutional milestones.

The bulk of the collection consists of administrative records—correspondence, budgets, strategic planning files, and committee minutes—reflecting academic policies and decisions. Notable topics include Resolution 21 and the Governor’s 5% budget reduction plan, which document financial restructuring and resource allocation. Materials also cover major events such as campus development projects, anniversaries, and faculty recognition.

Program review files form a substantial portion of the collection, detailing internal and external evaluations of academic departments submitted to the Board of Regents. These reviews are closely tied to accreditation efforts and strategic planning. Specialized accreditation reports from 1998 to 2017 assess institutional compliance with academic standards.

Records on curriculum development highlight the role of the Provost’s office in shaping academic offerings, including new course proposals, program modifications, general education revisions, and course standardization through the Common Course Numbering system. Faculty governance is represented through committee minutes, departmental reviews, and performance evaluations, including documentation from the Bush Faculty Development Project.

The collection also preserves the history of commencement at SDSU, with programs, scripts, honorary degree documentation, faculty awards, photographs, baccalaureate invitations, and diplomas dating back to 1902.

Additional subject files address topics such as Division I Athletics, the Resource Allocation Model (RAM), and the Student Project Implementation initiative, which aimed to enhance academic and student support services.

Overall, this collection offers a comprehensive view of SDSU’s academic evolution and institutional governance, serving as a valuable resource for researchers, administrators, and historians studying the university’s history and its role in higher education.

This collection includes a file on South Dakota State University’s 1987–1989 strategic plan, providing insight into institutional priorities and administrative decisions of the period. It offers context for understanding historical strategies and their long-term effects. The collection also contains an open house invitation for the retirement of Vice President Mike Reger, marking a leadership transition and acknowledging his contributions to the university.

This collection contains records of the Administrative Council at South Dakota State University and its predecessor, the Council of Deans. The materials consist primarily of meeting minutes documenting administrative procedures, institutional policy decisions, student disciplinary matters, and operational issues. A small amount of correspondence is included, mainly related to student readmissions and follow-up communication on council actions. The records span 1923 to 1961 and reflect the development of the university’s internal governance structure during this period.

The collection documents administrative decision-making at SDSU during a period of organizational growth and transition. The minutes provide evidence of how academic policies, campus regulations, and student matters were handled, while the correspondence offers context for specific actions. The materials are useful for research on university governance, administrative practices, and institutional responses to academic and student issues.