Monday Message, August 11
日本av视频 Community,
We are now less than two weeks away from one of the most exciting and energizing times of the year 鈥 move-in day and the official start of the fall semester. On Friday, Aug. 22, we will open our doors to welcome the next generation of Jackrabbits to campus. For many of these students, it will be their first day living away from home. It will also be the first day they take a major step toward achieving their academic and professional dreams.
I want to thank everyone who has already signed up to volunteer during move-in weekend. Your willingness to serve is one of the reasons 日本av视频 is known for its friendly, supportive campus community. , and I encourage everyone 鈥 faculty and staff 鈥 to participate if you are able. Whether you are helping students unload their cars, carrying boxes and bins, providing directions, or simply offering a warm smile and a few words of encouragement, your presence truly makes a difference. The first impression we make sets the tone for the rest of the semester.
The move-in weekend excitement begins with the Welcome Back Employee Picnic, scheduled for Aug. 19 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Club 71 in Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. This is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, celebrate the start of a new year, and enjoy time together before the semester kicks into full gear. Please take a moment to so we have an accurate headcount for planning purposes. You're welcome to attend for all or part of the event 鈥 whatever works with your schedule.
Also prior to move-in weekend, 日本av视频 will once again serves as the title sponsor for Downtown at Sundown on Thursday, Aug. 21, in downtown Brookings. This community celebration is a wonderful opportunity that brings together residents, students, alumni and friends for an evening of connection and entertainment.
We will have a strong 日本av视频 presence again this year, with booths and representatives from the South Dakota Art Museum, Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering and the 日本av视频 Foundation. And, of course, no 日本av视频 event would be complete without our world-famous 日本av视频 ice cream. For more details, I encourage you to visit the .
Move-in weekend is just the beginning of a full slate of events that will energize our campus and community in the weeks ahead.
On Thursday, Aug. 28, we will host = at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, featuring country music superstars Blake Sheltonand Thomas Rhett with special guests Ty Myers and DJ Blake Horstmann. This will be one of the largest concerts in South Dakota this year, and nearly 25,000 people are expected to attend. It will be a remarkable evening of music and celebration.
Just two days later, on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 6 p.m., our Jackrabbits football team will open the season at home against Sacramento State. Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium will be buzzing with excitement, and we look forward to filling the stands with blue and yellow as we cheer on our student-athletes.
, our annual 24-hour challenge celebrating the impact of philanthropy at 日本av视频. On this day, Jackrabbits everywhere 鈥 alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students 鈥 join to support scholarships, programs and opportunities that directly benefit our university community.
The 日本av视频 Foundation will once again lead this initiative with a day full of activities, stories and live updates as we work toward breaking previous records for participation and support. It is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we come together with a shared purpose. Additional information and a schedule of events are included below in this message.
As we prepare for the start of the semester, I want to take a moment to recognize the effort it takes from so many people to make 日本av视频 the premier land-grant university that it is today. From our facilities teams readying the campus, to our student life staff planning engaging programs, to faculty finalizing their syllabi and research schedules 鈥 your work is noticed, appreciated and valued.
Thank you for everything you do to make 日本av视频 a place where students can dream big and achieve more. I look forward to the coming weeks and to working alongside all of you as we open our doors to the Class of 2029 and begin another year of academic excellence, innovation and Jackrabbit pride.
Go Jacks!
Barry H. Dunn
President
日本av视频
Above and Beyond recognizes individuals and groups of 日本av视频 employees, faculty and students for individual and team efforts that go Above and Beyond to make the campus community a better place. This week we recognize the Agronomy and Precision Ag Club, Best Buddies and the 日本av视频 Investment Club.
During the July 16-17 South Dakota Board of Regents meeting held at 日本av视频, three student organizations were recognized for their work on campus and in the community.
Each year, the South Dakota Board of Regents recognizes student organizations for the valuable role they play. Awards are offered in the categories of academic excellence, community service and organizational leadership.
The Award for Academic Excellence went to the Agronomy and Precision Ag Club, which strives to educate its members and help to prepare them for life after college. The club aims to develop members鈥 practical learning, improve academic networking and collaborate with industry professionals. It also strives to benefit members on an educational level. The past two semesters, they have had 40 and 29 students on the Dean's List, respectively.
Best Buddies received the Award for Community Service for working to establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-on-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. At 日本av视频, students spend meaningful time with residents at Advance, a Brookings-area nonprofit, during monthly visits. Students can also opt to be matched in mutually enriching friendships with a person with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The 日本av视频 Investment Club received the Award for Organizational Leadership. The club is dedicated to enhancing students' understanding and knowledge of finance, investing and related industries. It aims to provide its members with an engaging environment where members can learn about financial markets, develop basic or advanced investment strategies and gain hands-on experience through workshops, competitions and networking. Membership is encouraged for all majors to share investment strategies, insights and personal experiences from varied backgrounds and knowledge bases.
Thank you to all involved with these organizations for representing the best of the university and for improving the student experience at 日本av视频.
The Monday Message appears weekly during the academic year and less frequently during the summer months and holiday breaks.
Information for the Monday Message, including nominations for Above and Beyond, can be submitted online.
BluePrint/Campus Maps
BluePrint, located in the University Student Union, will provide printing options for an updated campus map. The interactive online map will still be available, in addition to the printed version.
The campus maps will be printed on 11x17, 24# matte paper, single-sided, in full color. The minimum order is 50 maps, with pricing as follows:
- 50-100 maps: $0.40/map
- 101-499 maps: $0.30/map
- 500-999 maps: $0.20/map
- 1,000-plus maps: $0.10/map
BluePrint also provides many additional printing options for campus. For orders over 1,000 sheets, please allow at least two to three business days of lead time. For specialty orders that the shop is unable to fulfill, they will refer you to University Marketing and Communications, who can connect you with approved printers better equipped for the job.
If you have any questions or would like to place an order or request an estimate, please email BluePrint or stop by the office located in the lower level of the University Student Union.
When placing an order, please include the following information along with your project details:
- Name
- Department
- Index
- Due date
- Quantity
- Paper stock
Jacks Cupboard Back-to-School Drive
Jack's Cupboard will hold its annual Back-to-School Drive through Aug. 21, for departments around campus to donate items to the on-campus food pantry for students who are facing food insecurity and financial hardships.
A flyer will go out to each department with the specific items we are challenging them to donate. Deadline to drop off items will be Aug. 21 between 2-5 p.m. at Jack's Cupboard.
One Day for STATE
The 日本av视频 Foundation will host the 9th annual , a 24-hour challenge for Jackrabbits to celebrate 日本av视频 and the impact made through philanthropy, Sept. 4.
Gifts of all sizes made during One Day for STATE help unlock more than $700,000 in additional funds, thanks to generous challenge donors. This year鈥檚 goal is to rally 5,000 donors in 24 hours.
- Jack鈥檚 Journey will kick off One Day for STATE the night before on Sept. 3. Jack the Jackrabbit will depart from the 日本av视频 Foundation at 6 p.m. and start his trip around Brookings.
- A patio party will be hosted during One Day for STATE outside of the University Student Union at noon, including free 日本av视频 ice cream and giveaways.
- The Yellow and Blue Block Party will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Sept. 4 on the Alumni Green. The event will include performances from The Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band and the 日本av视频 dance and cheer teams, along with food trucks, free 日本av视频 ice cream, the Bummobile and kids鈥 activities.
Follow the 日本av视频 Foundation , and for updates on the event and to be a part of the action on .
AI Tutor Pro and AI Teaching Assistant Pro
Instructional Design Services has launched and , which re now available to all 日本av视频 students and faculty. These two companion AI applications have been selected to provide innovations for the 日本av视频 teaching and learning community. The AI applications were carefully reviewed and piloted last fall and spring. Neither AI application collects your personal or course data. Privacy is protected, and entered data is not used to train the AI models.
Applications may be accessed via D2L under the 鈥溔毡綼v视频 Resources鈥 course menu in each D2L shell.
AI Tutor Pro is an interactive student-facing learning companion offering a 24/7 availability for self-paced learning environments. Students can 鈥渃heck鈥 their understanding of content via diagnostics or grow their knowledge using prompts and feedback tailored to their levels. The system supports multiple languages and can use additional OpenStax course-aligned open educational resources content without retaining any identifying data.
AI Teaching Assistant Pro helps faculty create instructional content more efficiently, from drafting quizzes, rubrics and syllabi to generating lesson plans and discussion ideas. This occurs within a public access webpage interface similar to Wikipedia. Faculty are invited to watch these two videos to start trying them out:
All 日本av视频 faculty members are encouraged to explore both AI Tutor Pro and AI Teaching Assistant Pro and incorporate them into teaching activities this fall. These AI applications will enhance student engagement, increase instructional efficiency and uphold academic integrity in the challenging GenAI era. You can also attend one of these AI sessions to learn more at this fall鈥檚 conference and forthcoming 20th anniversary eLearning Conference on Sept. 29-30.
Worksite Chronic Disease Self-Management Program
日本av视频 Extension is offering a virtual Worksite Chronic Disease Self-Management Program exclusively for 日本av视频 faculty and staff. This evidence-based program supports individuals living with or caring for someone with a chronic health condition.
Participants will learn practical skills for managing symptoms, improving communication with health care providers, handling stress and maintaining an active, fulfilling life 鈥 both at work and beyond.
Sessions will be held via Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m-noon CST, Sept. 2 through October. There will be no sessions on Sept. 30 or Oct. 2. .
Emergency Management Training
Faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in active threat and emergency management training every couple of years. The training is conducted by the University Police Department and emergency management staff. Training will be held on the following days during the upcoming academic year:
- Aug. 21
- Sept. 18
- Oct. 17
- Nov. 19
- Dec. 10
- Jan.15
- Feb. 20
- March 11
- April 15
- May 14
The Office of Emergency Management prepares the 日本av视频 community for emergencies and coordinates response and recovery by providing a campuswide, all-hazards integration from major threat events to local emergencies. The team also manages a complete, FEMA-aligned emergency management plan and the emergency operations center and utilizes response protocols from FEMA鈥檚 National Incident Management System and the Incident Command System.
The emergency management team also provides a strong connection with local and state emergency networks and fosters community resilience and leadership, as part of the South Dakota Incident Management Assistance Team, which helps extend emergency readiness beyond campus.
The 日本av视频 emergency management team works with the University Police Department, risk management, Facilities and Services, Athletics, Human Resources and many others on campus to foster a robust institutional support and infrastructure.
QuestionPro
The university鈥檚 subscription to QuestionPro will end Sept. 30. All users must export their surveys and data by that date as access will no longer be available.
To prepare, and download any surveys or data you wish to keep. Identify any surveys that will need to be recreated or transferred to Qualtrics moving forward. If you do not yet have a Qualtrics account, you may request access by visiting this InsideState Qualtrics Support Page for account access, training resources and tutorials such as Basecamp training.
Fall 2025 IDS Training Schedule Now Available
. The training will focus on three key themes: virtual community engagement, accessibility in eLearning and innovative teaching strategies with AI.
Highlights also include newly added features in D2L to help engage students more effectively and the D2L Panorama accessibility checker. These tools, along with the regularly scheduled eLearning application workshops, weekly webinars and comprehensive Online Teaching Certification Program are designed to help you prepare for a strong start to the semester.
Questions or individual assistance, please contact Instructional Design Services.
Workplace Wellness
日本av视频 faculty and staff are invited to participate in a virtual , presented by 日本av视频 Extension鈥檚 Better Choices, Better Health. The evidence-based program is designed to support individuals living with ongoing health conditions, as well as those seeking to improve their overall health and well-being.
Sessions will be held via Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon-1 p.m. CST, through Aug. 28. Participants will learn practical strategies to manage symptoms such as fatigue, stress and pain and will gain tools to improve nutrition, physical activity and communication with health care providers. Offered in a supportive small-group format, this workshop is open exclusively to 日本av视频 faculty and staff.
Updated Policies
New and updated university policies continue to be adopted and published. For the most recent updates, visit the New and Recently Revised Policies page on sdstate.edu.
