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This collection is composed of original records of the Dakota Agricultural College Board of Regents, documenting foundational governance activity between 1884 and 1895. It includes a ledger of official minutes detailing key decisions and organizational structures during the college's formative years. Topics covered include the selection of the first president, establishment of committees to oversee academic programs, finances, building construction, land management, and admissions. The ledger also records the development of early budgetary and curricular frameworks, with later entries incorporating presidential reports. A notation at the conclusion references a second volume of minutes, but its location is currently unknown.

Additionally, the collection contains a petition signed by students, requesting the dismissal of an English/History professor—offering early evidence of student engagement with faculty performance and governance.

These records offer critical insight into the early administrative and academic formation of South Dakota State University during its era as Dakota Agricultural College. The materials illustrate the priorities and challenges of a newly established land-grant institution in the late 19th century, highlighting student activism, governance practices, and institutional planning. The collection is especially significant for scholars interested in the history of higher education in South Dakota, land-grant college governance, and student-faculty relations in early American universities.