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The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment at South Dakota State University developed in the mid twentieth century in response to the need for coordinated institutional data and structured planning. Reporting to the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the office is led by a director and supported by professional staff. Its responsibilities include the management of institutional data, coordination of university wide assessment initiatives, accreditation reporting, and compliance activities. The office prepares institutional reports such as Factbooks, peer comparison data, IPEDS submissions, and Common Data Sets, and provides data in support of strategic planning initiatives, including Imagine 2023.

The office administers and coordinates assessment activities at multiple levels. Freshman placement is determined through ACT or COMPASS scores, and the office facilitates participation in the Cooperative Institutional Research Program. Departments administer the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency as required by the State Board of Regents. The office collects departmental assessment plans and graduating senior exit evaluation summaries for central review and analysis. Additional services include operating a testing center for national and Regents examinations, administering and proctoring exams, designing and analyzing surveys, processing instructor evaluations, and providing consultation on assessment practices.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs at South Dakota State University was established to develop and coordinate initiatives that supported multiculturalism and student success within the university community. The office promoted inclusive social, cultural, educational, and recreational opportunities and provided services designed to enhance the academic experience of students from underrepresented backgrounds. Its responsibilities included student success advising, leadership development, coordination of multicultural programming, and collaboration in recruitment efforts focused on minority student populations.

The office administered programs such as the Minority Student Orientation and the Minority Peer Mentor Program, which paired incoming students with upper class mentors to support academic transition and campus engagement. It also managed the National Student Exchange program and worked closely with cultural student organizations, including the African Students’ Association, Black Student Alliance, Native American Club, and various international student groups. In response to policy direction from the South Dakota Board of Regents, the office’s structure and designation evolved, transitioning toward a model focused on Student Connection and Engagement while maintaining support services for students and campus programming related to cultural awareness and community development.

The Office of Records and Registration at South Dakota State University has served as the custodian of official academic records since the institution’s early years following its establishment as Dakota Agricultural College in 1881. Archival records of the office span 1884 to 2011 and document its longstanding responsibility for maintaining student enrollment data, academic histories, and institutional reporting. Historically, the office managed registration procedures, preserved official student records, and ensured compliance with academic policies as the university developed.

The office maintains records of enrollment, biographical data, grades, credits, and degrees awarded. It oversees course registration, assesses tuition and fees, issues transcripts upon written request, processes enrollment verifications, and monitors athletic eligibility. Additional responsibilities include preparing semester course schedules, assigning classrooms, providing enrollment and academic performance reports, coordinating graduation clearance with college deans, managing candidate lists, and assisting with commencement ceremonies. Over time, its record keeping practices have transitioned from manual systems to online registration and transcript services.

The Office of the President serves as the chief executive authority of South Dakota State University and is responsible for overall institutional leadership, administration, and strategic direction. The president oversees university operations, implements policies established by the South Dakota Board of Regents, and represents the university to state government, external organizations, and the public. The president is appointed by the Board of Regents.

The office coordinates executive decision-making across academic and administrative units and works closely with senior leadership to guide planning, budgeting, and institutional priorities. The president also communicates regularly with internal and external audiences through reports, public addresses, and official correspondence.

Historically, the role of the president at South Dakota State University combined both administrative and academic responsibilities, and early presidents often held faculty appointments. As the university expanded in size and complexity, administrative functions became more specialized and were delegated to a broader leadership structure. The Office of the President evolved into a central executive office focused on governance, policy implementation, and external relations.

Theodore Schultz was the only graduate of South Dakota State University to receive a Nobel Prize. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1979 for his groundbreaking work on the theory of investing in human capital. To honor this achievement, a planning committee was established to organize a series of campus events and activities celebrating Dr. Schultz’s legacy and scholarly impact.

The Plant Science Department at South Dakota State University was established in 1969 through the merger of the Agronomy and Plant Pathology Departments. In 1979, entomologists were added when the Entomology and Zoology Department was dissolved. Thus, the department’s history reflects the evolution of these three academic areas.

Agronomy instruction began in 1888, with early field trials conducted through the Agricultural Experiment Station. Initially part of the Geology and Agronomy Department, agronomy became an independent department in 1902. Over the decades, the department developed strengths in plant breeding, crop and soil science, and seed variety research and instruction.

Plant pathology followed a similar trajectory, with early instruction offered under the Botany Department. The department underwent multiple name changes—reflecting its evolving focus—before officially becoming the Plant Pathology Department in 1950. Research was primarily conducted through the Agricultural Experiment Station.

The Entomology and Zoology Department existed from 1920 to 1979, though courses in these areas were offered as early as 1887. Scientific investigations began in 1888 under the Agricultural Experiment Station. The department shifted from the General Science Division to the Agriculture Division in 1925. From 1938 to 1963, wildlife management courses were included before becoming a separate area. When the department was dissolved in 1979, entomology joined Plant Science, while zoology moved to Biology.

In 2011, the Plant Science Department merged with the Department of Horticulture, Forestry, Landscape and Parks. The department’s expertise now includes agronomy, entomology, genetics, horticulture, landscape architecture, plant pathology, plant physiology, soil science, and weed science. It offers B.S. degrees in Agronomy, Horticulture, and Landscape Architecture, as well as M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Agronomy and Biological Science. The department consistently ranks among the top at SDSU for research expenditures and productivity.

Facilities span six campus buildings, housing laboratories, greenhouses, seed facilities, and the functional genomics core. Additional resources include the SDSU Seed Testing Laboratory, Plant Diagnostics Clinic, Seed Certification, and Foundation Seed Stocks Division. Research is also conducted at three nearby research farms and four statewide research stations. Field Specialists are based in six regional extension offices. The department’s newest facility is the McCrory Gardens Education and Outreach Center.

The Publications Council served as the advisory body for all student publications at South Dakota State College. Its membership consisted of two faculty members appointed by the university president, the student editors and business managers of The Collegian and the Jackrabbit, representatives from other recognized student publications, and additional members selected by the Board of Control. The Council oversaw the operations of The Collegian and the Jackrabbit and exercised supervisory authority over other student publications in accordance with the student constitution.

Individuals, groups, or organizations seeking to initiate a new publication or program were required to obtain the Council’s approval. Working jointly with the Board of Control, the Council regulated the types of advertising permitted in all student publications. Its duties also included recommending engravers for the Jackrabbit and approving related contractual agreements.

The Council was responsible for nominating and recommending candidates for the positions of business manager and managing editor of the Jackrabbit and The Collegian. Applicants, typically rising juniors or seniors, submitted written applications. Candidates for editor of The Collegian were required to submit at least three original editorials and three news articles and have a minimum of one year of experience on the newspaper staff. All applicants were required to meet the academic standards of the college. The Council forwarded two candidates for each position to the Board of Control, which made the final appointments. It also advised the Board on staff salary recommendations for the publications under its jurisdiction.

The Publications Council appears to have been dissolved around 1970. Its advisory functions are now carried out by the Media Council, which provides support and oversight for The Collegian, the Jackrabbit yearbook, and KSDJ Radio Station.

The Reel Images Film Society at South Dakota State University emerged from a shared interest in bringing independent, international, and historically significant cinema to campus audiences. Formed by a coalition of faculty, staff, students, and members of the Brookings community, the society was established to expand film culture beyond mainstream commercial offerings. Its founders recognized that many important works of cinema, particularly foreign films, documentaries, experimental works, and classic titles, were rarely screened in local theaters or readily available through conventional distribution channels. Reel Images was created to fill that gap.

From its inception, the society adopted a format centered on curated programming. During each academic year, Reel Images presents one film per month, typically organized around an annual theme. Themes have provided intellectual cohesion to the series, linking films by genre, director, cultural region, historical period, or social issue. This thematic structure reflects the university’s broader academic mission by encouraging critical engagement, interdisciplinary discussion, and exposure to diverse artistic perspectives.

Screenings are open not only to the university community but also to residents of Brookings and the surrounding region, reinforcing the land-grant commitment to public cultural enrichment. By consistently featuring films that challenge, inform, and broaden aesthetic experience, the Reel Images Film Society has contributed to the cultural life of South Dakota State University and strengthened connections between campus and community through shared cinematic exploration.

The Remnant Trust is a public educational foundation dedicated to sharing a growing collection of original and first edition works that explore the themes of liberty and dignity, with some volumes dating as early as 1250. In the fall semester of 2005, South Dakota State University hosted a loan of fifty titles from the Remnant Trust. These rare volumes were housed in the SDSU Archives & Special Collections within the Hilton M. Briggs Library. The initiative emphasized direct engagement with historical texts, encouraging students, faculty, scholars, and the public to touch, feel, and read the original works. This hands-on approach reflected the Trust's mission to make historical materials accessible and to foster a deeper understanding of the philosophical foundations of freedom and human rights.

The loan of these materials to SDSU marked a significant academic and cultural enrichment for the university community. By providing access to primary source texts spanning centuries, the collaboration promoted intellectual curiosity, historical inquiry, and public scholarship.

Residential life at South Dakota State University began in the 1880s when early students resided in unfinished campus buildings. By the early twentieth century, structured housing emerged to accommodate students enrolled in programs such as the School of Agriculture, which required on campus residence for portions of the academic year. Following World War II, significant enrollment growth led the university to expand housing through the use of converted military barracks and temporary structures in an area known as College Grove. These facilities housed veterans and their families until they were gradually removed between 1961 and 1975 and replaced with permanent residence halls, including Harding Hall and Lowry Hall.

The Department of Residential Life oversees on campus housing and food service operations. Residence halls function as living learning communities intended to support academic and social development. Unmarried students are generally required to reside in university housing and participate in a meal plan unless they meet specified enrollment or age criteria. The department also manages family housing, selected apartment units, and University Food Service operations, including meal plan administration and dining services for students, faculty, and staff.

The Scholastic Standards Committee at South Dakota State University served as a central body in the development and oversight of academic policy during the mid-twentieth century, with its most active period spanning approximately 1956 to 1967. Operating as an advisory committee to the Dean of Academic Affairs, the committee played a key role in shaping institutional standards during a time of enrollment growth and curricular expansion.

Its primary responsibilities included reviewing and approving new curricula and course changes, recommending graduation requirements, establishing minimum standards for communication skills, and setting policies governing student academic probation. The committee also addressed policies related to student conduct in academic settings, including regulations for student travel and other activities connected to coursework. Through these functions, the committee contributed to maintaining academic rigor and consistency across departments.

The work of the Scholastic Standards Committee formed part of a broader framework of faculty governance at SDSU. Alongside related bodies, such as the Committee on Scholastic Affairs, it reflected the university’s ongoing efforts to formalize academic procedures, clarify standards, and balance administrative oversight with faculty input in matters of curriculum and student achievement.

From 1908 to 1960, the South Dakota School of Agriculture at Brookings provided practical, vocational education to young men and women across South Dakota. Operating on the campus of South Dakota tate College, the school offered a five-month academic year focused on vocational agriculture and home economics, while still including standard subjects such as English and arithmetic. Students, known as Aggies, participated in extracurricular activities, including publishing a school newspaper, and often balanced their education with work or family responsibilities during the remaining seven months of the year.

In its early years, the school attracted strong enrollment from rural students, many of whom were older than traditional high school age and lacked access to nearby secondary schools. The short academic term and residential model appealed to students who lived far from established public high schools.

The passage of the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917, which funded vocational programs in public schools, contributed to a gradual decline in enrollment. The establishment of more high schools throughout South Dakota further reduced the demand for the School of Agriculture. In the post-World War II era, the school shifted focus to offering agricultural certificates akin to associate degrees. By the early 1950s, home economics courses were phased out, and female enrollment dropped significantly.

Despite maintaining agricultural offerings, declining student numbers led South Dakota State College to discontinue the high school-level curriculum in 1959. The school was officially closed in June 1960, after the final class graduated. Its closure marked the end of a transitional institution that had long served rural South Dakota youth at a time when access to secondary education was limited.

The first journalism course at South Dakota State College was offered in 1908, 27 years after the college's founding, during a period when journalism programs were emerging in many Midwestern state universities. In 1919, the School of Printing was established, and in 1924, Journalism Professor Charles D. Byrne, later Chancellor of Higher Education for Oregon, merged the journalism and printing departments to form the Department of Printing and Rural Journalism.

In the 1930s and 1940s, the department offered a two-year printing program combined with three additional years of journalism, resulting in a Bachelor of Science in Printing and Rural Journalism (PRJ). The department achieved accreditation in 1948, the first year of national journalism accreditation. South Dakota State College was the first department to be visited by an accrediting team and recommended for accreditation, according to Dean Earl English of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. In 1951, under department head George Phillips, the current building was dedicated.

In 1956, the PRJ program was revised to a four-year curriculum, and a Bachelor of Science in Printing Management was introduced. That same year, the department began offering a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and a Master of Science in Journalism. In 1958, a Master of Science in Printing Management was added, making the department one of the few in the country to offer a graduate degree in printing management. The program was discontinued in 1972.

After Professor Phillips retired in 1973, Professor Vernon Keel, who later became director of the Elliott School of Communication at Wichita State University, took over as department head. The graduate program was suspended from 1973 to 1975 to focus on the undergraduate program. Professor Keel resigned in 1976 to become department head at the University of North Dakota. Professor Ruth Laird led the department until 1978, followed by Professor Richard Lee, who served from 1978 to 2002. Professor Mary Arnold, the current department head, was appointed in 2002.

English has been an established course of study since the College’s founding. Early curricula included three English courses associated with agriculture, general science, and civil engineering, each emphasizing grammar, composition, speech, rhetoric, literary theory and practice, and the history of English drama. These core subjects have remained central to English instruction over the years.

According to the 1998–2000 bulletin, the English Department’s curriculum is organized into two areas: English and linguistics. Instruction covers critical thinking, language history and usage, literature, literary criticism, and technical communication. The English major prepares students for careers in teaching, writing, and editing, as well as for professional study in law, business, theology, library science, and social work—fields where strong language skills are essential.

The SDSU Advisory Council was established to promote a clearer understanding of the university’s objectives, activities, challenges, and needs in relation to the broader needs of the State of South Dakota. Its primary function was to consult with the university administration on these matters, study them from the perspective of citizens and public welfare, and communicate its conclusions both to the administration and, through appropriate channels, to the public.

The Council did not function as a legislative lobby, nor did it replace any existing organizations focused on specific aspects of the university’s operations. Its membership was composed of individuals from across the state representing diverse sectors of business and industry.

The Stakota Club at South Dakota State University was active from 1962 to 1969 and originated in the early 1940s as a coeducational pep organization known as the Cottontails. The group later reorganized under the name Stakota Club to establish a unified identity focused on promoting school spirit and supporting university athletics. Membership was selective, and members were actively involved in campus traditions and athletic events.

The club supported football and basketball games through coordinated cheering activities, including pom pom routines performed with the pep band and cheerleaders. Members occasionally traveled to away games and sponsored the university’s Jackrabbit mascot. The organization also sponsored Pep Week activities, including the selection of a Pep King and Queen, and hosted an annual banquet and dance. Additional activities included assisting with Parents’ Day registration, serving refreshments after games, and organizing fundraising events such as a spring car wash. In April 1969, the club voted to become inactive due to declining membership.

Student organizations at South Dakota State University have been active since the institution’s early years following its establishment in 1881. By the late nineteenth century, students had formed literary societies and academic clubs to promote debate, public speaking, and professional development. As academic programs expanded, discipline specific organizations emerged, supporting applied learning and student engagement. Over time, additional organizations developed to address cultural, social, and service interests, reflecting changing student populations and campus priorities.

Several long standing organizations and traditions have shaped student life. The Students’ Association has served as the official student government, representing student interests and coordinating governance activities. Hobo Day, first held in 1912, became an annual campus tradition featuring parades and student participation. Fraternities and sororities have been formally organized on campus since the mid twentieth century. In 1992, the Native American Club was established to support Indigenous students and promote cultural awareness, later becoming the American Indian Student Association. Through these and other organizations, students have contributed to leadership development, campus programming, and community building.

Student Health and Counseling Services at South Dakota State University originated in 1980 with the Brookings Wellness Program, initiated by Brookings Hospital. Over time, the program expanded to provide coordinated physical and mental health services to students. The services are organized as a unified operation integrating medical care, counseling, and wellness education in order to address student health needs while supporting academic participation. The department is housed in the Miller Wellness Center and is part of broader university wellness initiatives.

The program provides outpatient primary care, medical consultation and referral, health education, human sexuality services, and administration of student health insurance. Mental health services include short term individual counseling, group sessions, workshops addressing study skills and test anxiety, and consultation or referral to campus and community resources. The Counseling Center utilizes a stepped care model to deliver services based on individual needs. Services are provided by physicians, nurses, counselors, and support staff, with referrals to specialists as necessary. The office also oversees immunization compliance, medical testing, health record review, and outreach programming. Historical documentation of the development of these services is maintained in the University Archives.

The Director of the Summer School was responsible for implementing university policies guiding the summer session program at South Dakota State University. Acting under the authority delegated by the university president, the director supervised and authorized the various activities associated with the summer session. The summer session typically lasted eight weeks and included standard courses, specialized workshops, and other instructional programs offered for shorter durations.

The University Center in Sioux Falls, formally known as the South Dakota Public Universities and Research Center, emerged from a practical idea with statewide ambition: bring public higher education directly to South Dakota’s largest city without duplicating entire campuses. Established under the direction of the South Dakota Board of Regents, the Center was designed as a cooperative site where multiple public universities could offer degree programs in one shared facility.

In its early years, the site was often informally referred to as “USDSU,” reflecting the strong presence of both University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University programming in Sioux Falls. Over time, the collaborative model expanded to include additional institutions such as Dakota State University, Black Hills State University, Northern State University, and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

The Center became a vital access point for place-bound students, working adults, and degree-completion learners in the Sioux Falls region. Through this shared-campus structure, students could earn accredited degrees from South Dakota’s public universities while remaining in the state’s primary economic hub.

In 2019, the Board of Regents approved a restructuring plan to transition the University Center into a branch campus of the University of South Dakota, marking a new chapter in its evolution. Throughout its history, the University Center has reflected South Dakota’s pragmatic approach to higher education: collaboration over competition, access over distance, and statewide service anchored in Sioux Falls.

University College at South Dakota State University developed from early student support and advising functions designed to serve students without declared majors and those needing additional academic preparation. Originally organized within student services, the unit evolved through several administrative forms during the mid 20th century. In 1949, it became the Office of Student Personnel and Terminal Courses, and in 1969 advising undeclared students was formally added to its mission. In 1970, admissions, records, and student personnel were consolidated into the Division of Student Services.

In 1974, the Office of General Registration was designated a non degree granting college by the South Dakota Board of Regents and launched its first course, UC 101. The unit expanded its scope during the late 20th century, merging with placement services and relocating to Medary Commons by the mid 1980s. In 2001, it became the College of General Studies and Outreach Programs and was authorized to offer degree programs and certificates, along with leadership and pre professional options. Career Planning Services and tutoring initiatives were added to support student development.

In 2011, the college shifted its focus toward improving retention, first year success, and support for at risk students, and adopted the name University College. New initiatives included the Academic Success Program, the First Year Advising Center, expanded tutoring and supplemental instruction, and peer mentoring. In 2013, the Exploratory Studies Program was introduced to provide students with structured academic exploration and informed major selection. Through these developments, University College has played a central role in student advising, academic support, and undergraduate success at South Dakota State University.

University Marketing and Communications at South Dakota State University, formerly known as University Relations, is responsible for coordinating and managing institutional communications and promotional activities. Housed in the Communications Center, the unit supports advancement activities in collaboration with the SDSU Foundation, Alumni Association, and Admissions Office. It operates a news bureau and publications office, coordinates special events, and advises university administration and departments on internal and external communications.

The News Bureau serves as the primary liaison to media outlets, distributing information to print and other media. The Publications Office produces university publications and provides photography, design, and writing services in coordination with the Printing Laboratory. The unit oversees brand standards, including use of the institutional logo and mascot, manages digital and web communications, and administers the university’s trademark and licensing program in collaboration with the Office of Finance and Budget. Through these activities, the office supports consistent institutional messaging and public representation.

The University Program Council at South Dakota State University serves as the primary student programming organization responsible for coordinating campus entertainment, cultural, educational, and recreational events. Organized and led by student members, the council plans and implements activities designed to promote student engagement and leadership development. The organization operates through specialized committees that oversee areas such as special events, social awareness, marketing, films and forums, arts, recreation and travel, and showcase programming.

Funded primarily through the General Activity Fee, the University Program Council administers student fee resources to provide programming for the campus community throughout the academic year. Student leaders manage event planning, budgeting, promotion, and execution, with opportunities for broader student involvement through committee participation and coordinator roles. The council functions as a recognized student organization within the university’s student activities structure.

The Honors College at South Dakota State University was established in the fall of 1999. President Peggy Gordon Elliott initiated the transformation of the existing honors program into a more prestigious college. Harriet Swedlund and Bob Burns were tasked with researching honors programs at other institutions and developing a model suitable for SDSU.

The Honors College was designed to reflect the characteristics of SDSU’s faculty and student body. It offers highly motivated students the opportunity to pursue a challenging and flexible honors curriculum while working toward a degree in any major. The program demonstrates South Dakota State University’s commitment to academic excellence, campus involvement, and academic enrichment.

Students in the Honors College benefit from smaller class sizes and a more rigorous curriculum, while maintaining engagement with the broader university community. The presence of Honors College students contributes to raising academic standards for the wider campus.

The mission of the Honors College is to provide high-quality academic and enrichment opportunities for motivated undergraduate students. Its curriculum is carefully designed yet flexible, emphasizing academic achievement, global awareness, cultural understanding, communication skills, and community service. The college operates on principles of flexibility, accommodation, and vision to adapt to changing needs.

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, many students left college to serve in the military. After the armistice was signed on November 11, 1918, discharged servicemen began returning to college campuses. Recognizing a responsibility to support these veterans, the South Dakota Legislature passed the “Veteran’s Free Tuition Law” in 1919, allocating $15,000 to cover tuition costs. This financial support continued through 1920.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. entered World War II on December 8, 1941. Once again, large numbers of students left college for military service. By the spring of 1944, even as the war continued, the first returning servicemen began reappearing on campus. The G.I. Bill (Public Law 346), signed into law on June 22, 1944, provided comprehensive benefits to eligible veterans, including government-funded education and training, unemployment readjustment allowances, and guaranteed loans for homes, farms, or businesses. The education and training provisions ended on July 25, 1951, though those already enrolled or with valid interruptions could continue. Training benefits under this bill concluded entirely in 1956. A new G.I. Bill, passed on July 16, 1952, extended similar benefits to veterans of the Korean conflict.

In addition, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act (Public Law 16), enacted on March 24, 1943, offered training opportunities for disabled World War II veterans. Those qualifying under this act received the same subsistence allowances as those under the G.I. Bill. While training could begin any time after discharge, it had to be completed by July 25, 1956.

South Dakota State University saw many students affected by these laws. To support them, the university established a Veterans Advising Office after World War II. This office assisted returning veterans with their transition to college life, helping them navigate paperwork and access financial benefits.

The Vice President for Administration oversees campus support, service, and administrative units, ensuring efficient operations and strategic direction. Responsibilities include financial management, personnel services, facilities maintenance, student services, legal affairs, public relations, policy development, campus planning, and alumni and foundation support. This role is vital to the university's stability, growth, and ability to serve students and faculty effectively.

The Water and Environmental Engineering Research Center is located in the College of Engineering. Formerly names the Northern Great Plains Water Resources Research Center, this center conducts research, education and outreach activities through principal investigators who are faculty members in the Engineering College. Projects are funded by governmental agencies, cities and industries, and are focused on engineering solutions to water resources and environmental problems. These solutions often require collaboration with other university departments or off-campus units. The research center also maintains an environmental chemistry laboratory in Crothers Engineering Hall in conjunction with the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. The laboratory supports research projects, environmental engineering courses and outreach activities.

The mission of the Center is to enhance the habitability and economic development of the Northern Great Plains through multidisciplinary research of the region's vast water and related land resources. The center supports this mission through the conduct of engineering and related research on significant issues affecting water resources by focusing on various disciplines in higher education such as agriculture, health and social sciences, law, chemistry, and biology in partnership with engineering, to assure a critical mass of researchers working to foster multi- and interdisciplinary work on the conservation, development, management and use of water and related land resources.

The South Dakota Water Resources Institute was established as an administrative unit of South Dakota State University on October 8, 1954, and was formally conceptualized in 1964 under the Water Resources Act. In September 1990, it was placed under the administrative authority of the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences.

The Institute provides leadership in coordinating water resources research and training at SDSU and affiliated institutions and agencies across the state. It administers funds from the U.S. Department of the Interior through the Water Resources Research Act of 1984, as well as from the state of South Dakota. These funds support research aimed at addressing water-related issues at the state, regional, and national levels. The Institute also supports graduate research, technology transfer, and information dissemination.

Additionally, the Institute operates the Water Quality Laboratory, which serves the state by providing analytical testing of inorganic constituents and select pesticides in water.

The Women's Studies Program at South Dakota State University (SDSU) is an interdisciplinary minor that allows students to explore topics related to women’s experiences and contributions across various fields. Course offerings examine the development of feminism and women’s evolving roles in family life, religion, the workforce, and politics. The program is especially relevant for students pursuing careers in social work, counseling, nursing, business, or education.

The Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor aimed to promote an earnest Christian life, foster mutual fellowship, and encourage service to God, as outlined in its constitution. Membership included active and associate members. Active members were young individuals who identified as Christians and were committed to the society’s purpose. Associate members were of good character but not yet ready to identify as Christians. They received the prayers and support of active members and were excused from participating in prayer meetings, with the hope that they would eventually become active members.

The Students’ Association at South Dakota State University was established in the early twentieth century as the official representative body of the student population. In its initial form, governance was exercised through a Board of Control elected annually by students and advised by the Dean of Men and Dean of Women. The Board oversaw student activities, addressed campus concerns, allocated student funds, regulated student councils, and managed student enterprises.

Over time, the organization evolved into a Student Senate model with expanded responsibilities in advocacy and shared governance. The Students’ Association serves as a liaison between students and university administration, the South Dakota Board of Regents, and other higher education entities. Composed of a Senate representing academic colleges and led by elected officers, the Association administers student activity fees, supports student organizations and services, and participates in institutional decision making on behalf of the student body.

Human Development, Consumer and Family Sciences offers four undergraduate programs and is housed in the department including: Consumer Affairs, Early Childhood Education, Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Human Development and Family Studies.

The history of theater at South Dakota State University began in the 1880s with the formation of eight literary societies that presented farces and plays and established traditions such as the Senior Class Play. These organizations eventually merged into a short lived dramatic club in 1923. In 1930, the Footlight Club was organized and became the primary dramatic society on campus. By 1939, theatrical productions were formally placed under the supervision of the Forensics and Dramatics Council within the Speech Department. This council oversaw all campus productions in coordination with the State Players Dramatic Club, which was founded in 1949.

A chapter of Alpha Psi Omega was officially established on the SDSU campus in 1949 and was highly active throughout the 1950s. The first designated technical director of plays at SDSU, Lawrence Stine, was appointed in 1952. Beginning in 1953, students became eligible to receive academic credit for participation in theatrical productions. In 1956, SDSU expanded its repertoire to include Broadway musicals, including a production of South Pacific, making SDSU one of the first nonprofessional groups to stage the work. That same year, summer theater productions were introduced. Revue style productions, including Rabbit Rarities and vaudeville shows, also became part of campus theater programming during the 1950s.

State University Theatre later became a unit within the Department of Communication Studies and Theatre and is also affiliated with the School of Performing Arts at South Dakota State University. Theatrical productions have been staged in more than fourteen facilities across campus, with the most recent venues including Doner Auditorium and the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center.

A comprehensive chronological history of theater programs at South Dakota State University has been documented for the period from 1892 to 1992. While records documenting theater activities after 1992 exist, they have not yet been compiled into a single, comprehensive institutional history.