REGENTS REPORT

South Dakota Higher Education: Good Investment. Great Future. NO. 66, 02/21/97

South Dakotans Support Public Higher Education

Recent Survey Shows Public Universities Doing Well

This document was produced by the South Dakota Board of Regents.

Recently, the state's Business Research Bureau (BRB) asked 762 South Dakotans about their opinions on a range of issues-including public higher education in South Dakota. The survey found that a substantial majority of South Dakota citizens have a favorable view of the state's six public universities and the service that they provide to the state. Most respondents also thought that the public universities should be a primary source of assistance for updating and providing retraining opportunities for mid-career professionals and 75% of the survey respondents felt that over the next ten years the importance of a college education in the labor force would be more or much more important. Below are some more detailed explanations of some of the 1997 survey results.

Winter 1997 Business Research Bureau Survey

Over 86% of the survey respondents reported having a favorable or very favorable impression of the state's public universities.

Impression of the State's Public Universities

Winter 1997

SOURCE: Business Research Bureau

The BRB survey also asked participants how satisfied they were with the overall public university system in South Dakota. Nearly, 80% of the survey respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with South Dakota's public university system.

Satisfaction with Public University System

Winter 1997

SOURCE: Business Research Bureau

The survey also found wide public support for the public university system's role in providing opportunities to South Dakota employers and employees through workforce skill updating and retraining assistance. Over 89% of the survey participants agreed or strongly agreed that the public universities should be a primary source of assistance for updating skills and providing retraining opportunities for mid-career professionals. In addition, 78% of the survey participants felt that the public universities should be providing off-campus courses.

Public Universities as a Source for Continuing Education

Winter 1997

SOURCE: Business Research Bureau

South Dakota's public universities strive to serve the needs of South Dakotans with affordable and quality higher education. The results of the 1997 BRB survey are a strong sign of citizen confidence in the Unified System of Public Higher Education, and a source of encouragement for the universities as they continue to provide quality educational service to the state.