Higher education
South Dakota one of six states without anti-hazing laws
Max Gruver spent the early morning hours of Sept. 14, 2017, heavily intoxicated and passed out on a couch inside the Phi Delta Theta chapter house at Louisiana State University. He had been forced to repeatedly chug 190-proof Diesel liquor in a hazing ritual called “Bible Study,” during which pledges are quizzed on fraternity facts. […]
Enrollment grows by 2% at state universities
Enrollment is up 2% this fall across the state’s public university system, according to the South Dakota Board of Regents. It’s the second consecutive year of enrollment growth. “Back-to-back years of increased enrollment is a testament to the commitment of our faculty, staff and administration to providing an exceptional educational experience,” said Regents Executive Director […]
10,700 South Dakotans enroll in student loan repayment program; Thune files opposition measure
WASHINGTON — More than 4 million federal student loan borrowers — including 10,700 in South Dakota — are enrolled in the Biden administration’s new repayment program, according to figures released Tuesday by the Department of Education. With the pause of more than three years on federal student loan repayments coming to an end in October, […]
Here’s what to know about new federal policies for repaying student loans
WASHINGTON — Following the Supreme Court’s summer ruling against 40 million federal student loan borrowers who would have qualified for debt relief, the Biden administration crafted a year-long delay in repayments. The policy, known as an on-ramp, is set to begin next month. Additionally, hours after the Supreme Court’s decision, the Department of Education unveiled […]
Regents prioritize tuition freeze, civics & quantum computing in 2025 budget request
The South Dakota Board of Regents will ask Gov. Kristi Noem and the Legislature to freeze public university tuition for a fourth year in a row, the organization decided in a special Zoom meeting Wednesday, in addition to requesting funds for other priorities such as a system-wide center for civic engagement. Noem has been a […]
South Dakota student debt relief could reach $147 million under new plan
More than 3,000 South Dakotans qualify for a combined $147 million in student debt relief offered by a new Biden administration policy, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The Department of Education and the White House announced last week that more than 800,000 federal student loan borrowers across the country will have their remaining […]
More than 800,000 student loan borrowers to have debt forgiven, White House announces
WASHINGTON — The Department of Education and the White House announced Friday that more than 800,000 federal student loan borrowers will have their remaining debt wiped out. The $39 billion in debt relief will come through fixes to mismanagement of the agency’s income-driven repayment plans. Many long-time borrowers, including those who had been making payments […]
US Supreme Court rules against Biden administration student loan debt relief plan
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the Biden administration does not have the legal authority to enact a one-time student debt relief program, dealing a blow to the 40 million Americans who would have qualified. Last year, the Biden Administration rolled out a debt forgiveness plan for borrowers with federal student […]
‘This is not a normal court,’ says Biden as GOP opponents praise affirmative action ruling
WASHINGTON — Thursday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that effectively scrambles the role affirmative action plays in the college admissions process cannot let the country slide “backwards,” President Joe Biden said just hours after the majority justices released their opinion. Meanwhile, Republicans seeking to challenge him in 2024 praised the decision. Issues of race and higher […]
After Noem’s criticism, legislators and regents discuss solutions for higher ed
Another tuition freeze is at the top of the South Dakota Board of Regents’ legislative wish list for next year — but that’s at the same time the state expects a return to normal revenue numbers. That emerged Wednesday from a roundtable discussion among the regents and some legislators at Dakota State University in Madison. […]
Higher-ed policy by the ‘perpetually aggrieved and easily offended’
In late May, Gov. Kristi Noem sent a four-page letter to the Board of Regents, telling them to get busy and start graduating more students. In the letter, Noem noted that South Dakota’s university graduation rate is 47% while the national average is 63%. She told the regents to have South Dakota’s graduation rate up […]
U.S. Senate votes to block student loan relief, White House will veto
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted to overturn the Biden administration’s one-time student debt relief plan that is on hold due to a pending Supreme Court decision. President Joe Biden has vowed to veto the resolution, but the 52-46 vote (with yes votes from South Dakota Republican Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds) […]