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SDSU tells appropriations committee its enrollment, retention and research figures; flags workforce and facility needs
Summary
South Dakota State University reported record first-year enrollment, strong retention and graduation outcomes, a $1.2 billion estimated economic impact, and ongoing workforce challenges in facilities and maintenance.
Barry Dunn, president of South Dakota State University, told the Joint Committee on Appropriations that SDSU posted record undergraduate and first-year class numbers, high retention and strong licensure pass rates, while emphasizing facility, workforce and research priorities.
Why it matters: SDSU is the state's land-grant research university; its staffing, capital and program priorities affect statewide agricultural extension, research commercialization and regional workforce pipelines.
Key points - Economic and budget figures: Dunn said SDSU's economic impact is about $1,200,000,000 annually and the university had operating authority of roughly $351,000,000 for FY 2025. - Workforce and staffing: SDSU employs roughly 2,000 people; turnover rose to 16% in FY 2023 and fell to 13% in FY 2024; the university is having difficulty filling facilities and maintenance positions. - Enrollment and student outcomes: SDSU reported its largest first-year class in its 141-year history (2,449 first-time students), total fall enrollment just over 12,000, a first-to-second-year retention rate of 83.8%, and more than 2,600 degrees conferred in the most recent academic year. - Licensure and program quality: Program pass rates cited included a 95.5% first-time pass rate for nursing graduates and a 100% first-time pass rate for pharmacy graduates (above national averages cited by the presenter). - Value and student debt: Dunn said SDSU graduates carry substantially lower federal student-loan burdens than national peers—he cited an average South Dakota student debt figure of roughly $22,000 compared with a national figure near $38,000. - Research and spinouts: SDSU reported a record $84,000,000 in research expenditures for the year and described private-sector spinouts tied to university research (examples include Medgene in Brookings and a protein feed company in Volga).
Committee exchange: Members asked about program lists by campus, the accounting/CPA program’s eligibility for the CPA exam and partnerships with technical colleges; SDSU said institution-specific program inventories are included in the regents' fact book and that the newly approved accounting graduates will be eligible to sit for the CPA exam.
