South Dakota Board of Regents
Regents request control of whistleblower hotline; Noem says ‘no planned changes’
UPDATED 3:40 p.m. Central, 10/5/23 RAPID CITY — The board that oversees South Dakota’s public universities has requested control over the governor’s whistleblower hotline for higher education, but the Governor’s Office said there are “no planned changes.” News of the request came from Jeff Partridge, a member of the Board of Regents, during a meeting […]
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 […]
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. […]
Noem criticizes universities, issues series of ‘challenges’
Gov. Kristi Noem challenged the South Dakota Board of Regents in a letter Thursday to “improve higher education” in the state through a range of suggestions. Noem said she wants to bolster free speech, ban drag shows and the use of preferred pronouns on campuses, root out Chinese influence, require U.S. history and government classes, […]
Board approves ‘minors on campus’ policy following drag show controversy
The state Board of Regents unanimously approved a policy Tuesday responding to public concerns about minors attending a drag show on a college campus. “We threaded the needle between state statute and First Amendment issues or potential challenges,” said board president Tim Rave. “This is a good first step with the framework in place.” Drag […]
Legislative roundup: Taxes and tribes, feedlots and lithium
PIERRE — Things really picked up at the Capitol this week, and deadlines had something to do with that. Lawmakers had free reign to submit as many bills as they pleased until 11 a.m. on Thursday, which meant dozens of bills dropped just before lunch that day. Check the list here. Each lawmaker can file […]
Bill to repeal annual intellectual diversity report by SD colleges passes committee
A bill that would remove a requirement for the South Dakota Board of Regents to produce an annual intellectual diversity report passed the Senate Education Committee 5-2 on Tuesday. Senate Bill 45, introduced by Sen. Lee Schoenbeck, R-Watertown, would backtrack a requirement set by the 2019 intellectual diversity law. The 2019 bill also ordered public […]