Regental presidents outline enrollment gains, workforce ties and maintenance needs at appropriations hearing

The Joint Committee on Appropriations heard budget presentations on Feb. 5 from four Regental institutions, with presidents stressing enrollment trends, workforce partnerships and campus maintenance needs.

Brian Tandy, president of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, told the committee Mines has ‘‘just over 2,500 students’’ (about 2,200 undergraduates and roughly 363 graduate students) and emphasized low per-credit tuition on his slide. He said Mines awarded more than $5 million in scholarships last year and closed a $120 million fundraising campaign. Tandy highlighted student outcomes—an 83 percent retention rate, 537 degrees awarded last year and a 97 percent placement rate in graduates’ fields—calling the average starting salary ‘‘just over $77,000.’’ He described new programs in data science and plans for robotics and aerospace, a newly created Center for Education Innovation to expand work-based learning, and research…