REGENTS REPORT

South Dakota Higher Education: Good Investment. Great Future. NO. 73, 05/30/97

Centers of Excellence
One Part of Reinvestment Through Efficiencies

In response to 1995 Senate Concurrent Resolutions 1 and 2, the Board of Regents adopted the Reinvestment Through Efficiencies Plan which included detailed efficiency reviews of university operations and academic programs. As part of the Plan, seven goals were identified to enhance the educational quality and service provided by South Dakota’s public universities. The seventh goal calls for the development of a Center of Excellence on each campus to provide the resources necessary to make a selected academic programs of regional and/or national quality. This report outlines two proposals for a Center of Excellence at South Dakota State University in Brookings, a review of other university proposals will appear in coming weeks.

Center of Excellence in Engineering Technology at SDSU

¶ What It Will Do

The mission of the Engineering Technology Center is to provide a nationally recognized engineering technology education through the practical integration of technology and management principles whose graduates are sought after by industry. The Center will seek industry input and collaborate with the technical institutes to provide a seamless educational experience and share resources.

¶ Why It Is Important to South Dakota

The proposed SDSU Center of Excellence in Engineering Technology will collaborate with business and industry to strengthen the technology disciplines. The engineering technology center will prepare people with hands-on, technical expertise needed to manage technical manufacturing processes. Industrial and economic development leaders in South Dakota indicate that technologists from these programs are critical employees in successful high technology industries. Companies considering expansion or locations in South Dakota need a source for these highly skilled people with technical background and management skills. The Center will be able to provide a specialized education to train these skilled professionals whose job prospects are projected to improve in the coming years as indicated by the chart below.

Demand for the Engineering Technology Center of Excellence: Job Growth 1994-2005

SOURCE: 1996 South Dakota Occupational Handbook
525 copies of this document were produced by the South Dakota Board of Regents at an approximate cost of $0.03 per copy.
For more information contact Zachary Ainsworth at (605) 773-3455 or E-mail at zacha@bor.state.sd.us .

Center of Excellence in Biostress

What It Will Do

The Center of Excellence for Biostress will serve the state into the next century and help fulfill the legislated mission of SDSU as the comprehensive land-grant institution for South Dakota. The Biostress Center will provide coordinated and increased focus on excellence in undergraduate and graduate education in Animal Science and Agronomy. The Center will aid in the preparation of professionals to promote sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship.

Why It Is Important to South Dakota

The Center for Excellence in Biostress will address issues and solutions critical to the survival and vitality of South Dakota agriculture, and through its study more is learned about agricultural production and impacts on human and natural resources. Biostress can be defined as all of the stresses put on animals and plants, and therefore has important implications to agricultural and environmental productivity and protection. Understanding the impacts of stress on crops, livestock, people, and natural resources is essential for maintaining productivity and therefore global competitiveness of South Dakota’s agricultural industry. Through an enhanced program of education, research, and outreach service in biostress and agriculture, students will be provided with an academic and practical experience that will prepare them for leadership roles throughout the state and region.

The Biostress Center is critical to the long-term sustainability of the state, agriculture represents about $0.25 of every dollar earned. In 1994, livestock and grain sales in South Dakota totaled $3.4 billion, and about $675 million in agricultural sales annually is exported from the state. Also, it is estimated that for each one-percent increase in South Dakota agricultural production, gross state product will increase $141 million. The Biostress Center will have a direct impact on agricultural production through research, education, and outreach activities. The table below shows strides in agricultural production in the past with the help of service and outreach from SDSU, the Biostress Center will strengthen SDSU’s ability to enhance production profitability in the future.

The importance of these productivity gains for the future are evidenced by the impressive job outlook for undergraduate and graduate agronomy students. In the past eight years there has been a 95% or higher placement rate in discipline specific jobs within three months of graduation. These students are employed in various fields such as sales, consulting, or product development. Starting salaries during the last five years for undergraduate agronomy majors have risen faster than inflation and are currently around $27,000.

E-mail us at: info@bor.state.sd.us

Conclusion

The Centers of Excellence will bring regional and national recognition to South Dakota’s programs and students and is one area of the Reinvestment Through Efficiencies Plan, which also places great emphasis on technology investments to increase and improve educational and service opportunities for all South Dakotans.