six universities under one roof

[filbert]

Re: six universities under one roof

As I understand it, two amounts are at play in the USDSU proposal: the foundation grant to acquire the land, which is not controversial, and the requested legislative appropriation to build a classroom facility, which is controversial. ... The Graduate Education and Applied Research Center is a separate facility that would be built on the new campus by development groups in Sioux Falls as an extension to an existing business incubator. ... Before we get too worked up about the growth of a higher ed facility in Sioux Falls, keep in mind that there is one in Rapid City, too, and it's been growing. Classes are offered in Pierre, too.

Yes, but Rapid City is Rapid City, Pierre is Pierre, and Sioux Falls is Sioux Falls.

I think they now realize it was a mistake to take the Pen over the agricultural college back in the 1800's, and the Sioux Falls interests now intend to rectify that mistake.

[90Jackrabbit]

Re: six universities under one roof

http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/main.asp?sday, February 16, 2006

By The Daily Republic

A red flag for new campus
Thursday, February 16, 2006


Chuck Cecil of Brookings advised three presidents at South Dakota State University in the 1960s, '70s and '80s, and worked closely with a fourth.

He also spent a great deal of energy and time in fund-raising and SDSU alumni work.


During those years, he attended many, many state Board of Regents meetings and as a result he has an understanding of how the system works.


Yet Cecil today is puzzled about the move gaining steam in the state Legislature to build and develop a seventh state campus in Sioux Falls.


He believes that the plan has been moving far too fast, given the investment that taxpayers will be asked to make in coming years.


Nor does he believe that the new campus on 263 acres in Sioux Falls, with a site plan that includes 27 buildings, represents what today's advocates of the plan have been selling

that the new campus will simply be a modest place of higher learning catering to non-traditional students with two or three new buildings.


If you think of this proposal as a fairy tale like the one about the emperor with no clothes, Cecil could be the one who reveals it for what it is: A major commitment to building a new state university system in Sioux Falls.


As Cecil points out, SDSU at present has nearly $50 million in deferred maintenance on its buildings. Systemwide for all regential property, he figures the deferred maintenance exceeds $150 million.


They're not repairing the leak in the roof, he said, but now they're building a garage in Sioux Falls.


What continues to perplex us, Cecil, and others who question this grand design for a seventh university is why the college presidents themselves seem to be in lockstep, even though the long-range impact would be detrimental to the campuses.


Cecil recalls in the 1970s, when there was a bill in the state Legislature that consolidated the engineering programs at SDSU with those at the South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City. Then-SDSU President Hilton Briggs described the loss for SDSU in terms that those tied to agriculture, and anyone else for that matter, could easily understand. He said the move,would be like castrating your prize bull.


Briggs' forthrightness was not rewarded, however.


After that, the regents learned a lesson, Cecil remembers, because they invited him to retire.


The presidents were brought into this plan quite late, Cecil thinks, and told to go ahead and sell this to your legislators. I can't say that as a fact, but it is a feeling.


There are still those in the state Legislature who have questions about the expansion in Sioux Falls.


They are looking beyond this year and next year. They are thinking about five, 10 and 20 years down the road. They know that the proclaimed protections against developing dormitories and athletic fields are up to future Legislatures, not this one.


As Cecil said, Why rush into this?


We're embarking on a plan without serious thought.


But maybe that's what the plan is; open the door, and let the giant in.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: six universities under one roof

If anyone would know what is going on with USDSU, Chuck Cecil would. The article mentions a plan which apparently he has gotten his hands or some one with knowledge and privity, calls for 27 buildings.

Nothing has been mentioned about the 27 buildings this before. It certainly smacks of long range planning.

 The deferred maintence that the state has racked up on the other six campus is another concern that needs more public mention. It needs more awareness of and how it affects the existing campus.  We need to keep this thread alive.

[SD-STATE]

Re: six universities under one roof

I cry foul, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the final approval by the SD Board of Reagents on our Wellness center and other improvements at other universities, all hinge on our university administrators and SA committees keeping their support for the "27 buildings that will serve the the thousands upon thousands of non-traditional students in S.F." :

[jack100]

Re: six universities under one roof

Interesting Article in Aberdeen newspaper today - cannot find it on the online edition.

Article states that the BOR and Governor have been working on this Sioux Falls University project since April 2005. BOR and governor toured the land site during a May 2005 BOR meeting. They said they went into an executive session "to consider personnel and contractual matters".

BOR also held a December 14, 2005 where the BOR voted in ececutive session to proceed with the project.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: six universities under one roof

The master plan for the 263 acres and 27 buildings is not new information as it was detailed in a Argus Leader article some time ago. I too have to believe for the President's of the Public Universities to be in support of this large of a project there has to be something promised to them in return. I have said on this forum SDSU has many buildings on campus in need of major mechanical and physical repair and nobody is doing anything about it as the claim is there is no money?

[SDSUFAN]

Re: six universities under one roof

The master plan for the 263 acres and 27 buildings is not new information as it was detailed in a Argus Leader article some time ago. I too have to believe for the President's of the Public Universities to be in support of this large of a project there has to be something promised to them in return. I have said on this forum SDSU has many buildings on campus in need of major mechanical and physical repair and nobody is doing anything about it as the claim is there is no money?

I missed the article in the Argus about the long range plan. Though it's news to me, I am not surprised as you have to have some planning somewhere along the line.
I am not familiar with the Foundation whose funds were used to purchase the DOT land, so have no idea who these people are and what they represent. If by accident I get on the Great Plains Education Foundation's mailing list and am requested to submit a donation, they will certainly get nothing from me, but maybe I am fighting future progress here. Who knows.

As possessive as USD has been with offering accounting courses at other state assisted campuses such as SDSU, I can not see them being very generous when the powers in SF say we need the Med school here in Sioux Falls.

In the print edition of tonight's Brookings Register there is an article about the Mayor of Brookings announcing his intentions of running for re-election. He talks about the USDSU issue and how it could affect SDSU in that with Sioux Valley and Avera being the big players in medical technology, they could demand that medicine, pharmacy and nursing all being moved to Sioux Falls. The mayor went to say he felt that the City Brookings basically had a dog in this fight and thats why he wanted to run again.

That said, I would agree, the presidents were promised something, and that may be that they would still controll the course offering and faculty of courses offered at the USDSU. It still seems difficult for me to see how a new Sioux Falls State University will ever come into being, but its the future here that we are speaking of and any thing is very plausible at this point and if the poltical clout is there some day to change everything, then so be it. I think I will be pushing up daises by the time that SFSU becomes a reality. :

When you got a mayor of SF who appeared to be well connected in the city political system saying no thanks to a second term, followed by now 9 candidates for mayor, I just dont see any unified efforts amongst the Sioux Falls folks. The Sanford guy with the big bucks has p@@sed a few people at USD off with his name on the Medical school. So no matter how much dough you have you can not always control things completely. Stay toned folks, it aint over yet.

[SD-STATE]

Re: six universities under one roof

I think, what it all comes down too, correct me if I'm wrong... are we willing to run down the rest of the state for the sake of a growing Sioux Falls? I don't know about the rest of you, but it really irks me when the thought of our university administrators and SA presidents seem to sellout on the plan. To me the only feasible option to anything in S.F., is to close DSU and split up the programs between USD, SDSU, and the undeniable newly planned university in S.F.

Maybe "el presidente" can tell me something different and maybe I'm totally off base. I definetely think that there is some shady dealings happening here.

[Jacked_Up]

Re: six universities under one roof

SDSUFAN -- I don't think the Great Plains Education Foundation needs contributions from anyone. It seems to have plenty of cash to give away. As I understand it, the money is left over from a very profitable, government sanctioned student loan business in Aberdeen.
At least the foundation is trying to advance the cause of education somewhere in a state that usually has universities fighting over table scraps from Pierre. If money is so tight, close DSU. Close NSU. Combine BHSU and Mines into one university. Keep SDSU. Keep USD. Then let the three remaining universities offer more classes in the state's largest city and job hub. It's time to focus on future education needs, not the past.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: six universities under one roof

 SDSUFAN -- I don't think the Great Plains Education Foundation needs contributions from anyone. It seems to have plenty of cash to give away. As I understand it, the money is left over from a very profitable, government sanctioned student loan business in Aberdeen.
 At least the foundation is trying to advance the cause of education somewhere in a state that usually has universities fighting over table scraps from Pierre. If money is so tight, close DSU. Close NSU. Combine BHSU and Mines into one university. Keep SDSU. Keep USD. Then let the three remaining universities offer more classes in the state's largest city and job hub. It's time to focus on future education needs, not the past.

Thank for explaining Great Plains Education Foundation.