News Release
Contacts: Robert T. Tad Perry, Executive Director
tadp@ris.sdbor.edu
Janelle Toman, Director of Information and Institutional Research
janellet@ris.sdbor.edu
T: 605.773.3455
F: 605.773.5320
www.sdbor.edu

For Immediate Release: Friday, March 14, 2003

SETI, Regents to Share New Health Sciences Facility

VERMILLION – The South Dakota Board of Regents Friday agreed to share space in a new Health Sciences Center to be built on the campus of Southeast Technical Institute in Sioux Falls.

“This lease arrangement builds on the already successful partnership we have with the Sioux Falls School District for co-locating programs on the Southeast Tech campus,” said Regents President Harvey C. Jewett. Since 2001, the Regents have leased space from the school district to offer public university courses on the SETI campus. Dakota State University, South Dakota State University, and the University of South Dakota, under the umbrella of USDSU at Sioux Falls, offer the university courses.

“This new agreement will enhance USDSU course offerings by providing a single location for delivering health sciences programs in Sioux Falls,” said Robert T. Tad Perry, the Regents’ executive director. Both USDSU and Southeast Tech will deliver health sciences instruction in the new building. Construction will be financed by grants made available by former Gov. Bill Janklow before he left office.

The Sioux Falls School District received a $5 million Community Development Block Grant from the governor for Southeast Tech’s share of the new building, while the Regents were granted $1.5 million through the Governor’s Office of Economic Development to enlarge the project to accommodate USDSU courses. Southeast Tech will occupy most of the building, with the university programs expected to take up one-sixth of the facility.

Under terms of the lease, the Regents are entitled to an initial 15-year lease, with a provision for automatic renewals until 2102. A portion of the economic development grant not spent on facility rent will be used by the Regents to purchase furnishings and movable equipment for health sciences classrooms and laboratories. Perry said Executive Dean Mark Lee would be involved in the planning for design and construction of the space to be occupied by USDSU.

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