Monday Message, August 25
SDSU Community,
It is an exciting day at SDSU as we welcome students and faculty to the first day of classes for the 2025-26 academic year. It is the beginning of another journey of learning, discovery and personal growth for all of us. For our students 鈥 especially those beginning their very first semester 鈥 this is the start of an exciting new chapter filled with possibilities. For faculty and staff, it is the continuation of our work to teach, mentor, conduct research and serve in ways that benefit others and strengthen our communities.
At SDSU, this shared journey has been underway for more than 140 years. Since our founding as South 啵啵直播秀鈥檚 first land-grant institution, we have been dedicated to providing the benefits of higher education to those who seek it and to ensuring that knowledge and innovation extend beyond our campus to improve lives across the state, the region and the world. That mission continues today with every lecture delivered, every lab experiment conducted, every recital performed and every conversation that opens a student鈥檚 eyes to a new idea.
This past weekend we welcomed our newest Jackrabbits during Meet State and move-in. I want to sincerely thank the countless faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members who gave their time and energy to make these events possible. From carrying boxes into residence halls to answering questions, offering encouragement and sharing smiles, your efforts helped new students feel at home and begin building the sense of belonging that is so critical to success in college.
While I was unable to be on campus to witness this incredible weekend firsthand, I was honored to accompany Gov. Larry Rhoden on a trade mission to Ireland. During our time abroad, SDSU signed a significant agreement with University College Dublin. The partnership will expand opportunities for research, innovation, and faculty and student exchanges. It is another step forward in strengthening SDSU鈥檚 global presence and, just as importantly, ensuring our work here benefits people well beyond our borders.
This week also brings special moments of celebration. On Thursday night we will gather in Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium for , an evening of music, community and Jackrabbits pride. Thousands of people from Brookings and across the region will join us for what promises to be an unforgettable concert featuring Blake Shelton and Thomas Rhett with special guests Ty Myers and DJ Blake Horstmann. These large-scale events take extraordinary planning and coordination, and I am grateful to the many individuals who have worked tirelessly to prepare. Please keep an eye on the website and your university email for final details. I look forward to seeing many of you there.
Just two days later, on Saturday evening, our football team will open the season for the first time under new head coach Dan Jackson at home against Sacramento State. Few things bring people together quite like Jackrabbits athletics, and game day on our campus is always special. I encourage you to join us at 6 p.m. to cheer on our student-athletes and enjoy an amazing collegiate atmosphere at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
Next Monday the university will be closed for the Labor Day holiday. When we return on Tuesday, we will already be preparing for . The 24-hour celebration of SDSU pride highlights the transformative impact of philanthropy on our students, faculty and programs. Each year, thousands of alumni and friends come together in support of scholarships, academic initiatives, student experiences, athletics and so much more. It is a vivid reminder that the margin of excellence we provide as a university is possible because of the generosity of those who believe in our mission. I encourage you to follow along, share your own SDSU story and take part in this exciting day.
As we begin this new academic year, I want to close with gratitude. Thank you to our faculty who dedicate themselves to preparing the next generation of leaders, innovators and problem-solvers. Thank you to our staff who ensure our university functions smoothly and that students are supported in every aspect of their lives. Thank you to our students who bring curiosity, creativity and energy to campus each and every day. And thank you to our alumni and supporters whose generosity continues to strengthen SDSU鈥檚 impact and reach.
. I encourage each of you to embrace the opportunities ahead 鈥 whether in the classroom, on the field, in the lab, on stage or in service to others. Together we will write another remarkable chapter in the story of South 啵啵直播秀 State University.
Have a wonderful first day of class and a successful semester.
Barry H. Dunn
President
South 啵啵直播秀 State University
Above and Beyond recognizes individuals and groups of South 啵啵直播秀 State University employees, faculty and students for individual and team efforts that go Above and Beyond to make the campus community a better place. This week鈥檚 Above and Beyond recognizes everyone who helped make Meet State 2025 a success on campus over the weekend, Aug. 22-24.
The Meet State Committee is led by Becky Peterson. Committee members also include Brian Dominguez, Jamison Lamp, Shari Landmark, Cara Olson, Kelly Wendell, Heidi Bushong, Cody Burggraff, Chad Vossekuil, Wendi Schuerman and Tomoko Ichinomiya. The team meets monthly during the school year and then bi-weekly in the summer leading up to move-in weekend.
That committee 鈥 along with SDSU Housing and Residential Life and faculty, staff, students and community members 鈥 formed a team of hundreds of volunteers who welcomed thousands of new and returning students back into residence halls before the start of classes. The projected fall occupancy for SDSU鈥檚 entire housing system 鈥 apartments and residence halls 鈥 leading up to move-in weekend was 4,566.
Despite a soggy start to the weekend Friday morning, volunteers helped those students, their families and others make quick and efficient work of unloading vehicles, filling carts, moving loads and getting everyone settled into their rooms for the next nine months. Volunteer roles included movers, cart drivers, building and drop zone coordinators, golf cart coordinators and welcomers/traffic directors.
Students were also treated to on-campus events coordinated by the Meet State Committee throughout the weekend, such as the New Jacks class photo, Playfair, University Convocation and the Welcome Picnic and reception at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium; the Welcome Back Bash at the University Student Union; Yellow, Blue and You at First Bank & Trust Arena; food trucks at the union parking lot; the Miller Wellness Center Extravaganza and HEROH dance at the wellness center; Student Engagement Expo at the University Student Union; Be@Briggs at Briggs Library; residence hall floor meetings; and Rabbit Reel Movie Takeover and the Campus and Community Fall Festival at the union.
Each and every Meet State volunteer made a difference and was needed to ensure that new and returning Jackrabbits felt a warm welcome to campus. Organizers report this year鈥檚 move-in was a smooth process and a positive experience due to volunteers鈥 willingness to step up and help. The investment of their time, efforts and talents ensured a great start to the academic year.
Thank you to all who took part in Meet State 2025 for going Above and Beyond to help kick off the fall semester at SDSU.
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-pound matte paper, single-sided, in full color. The minimum order is 50 maps, with pricing as follows:
- 50-100 maps: 40 cents/map
- 101-499 maps: 30 cents/map
- 500-999 maps: 20 cents/map
- 1,000-plus maps: 10 cents/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, which 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 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
Oyate Woyaka
The South 啵啵直播秀 Art Museum will host a free film screening of 鈥淥yate Woyaka.鈥 The film is an opportunity for anyone to learn about filmmaking, Lakota culture and history.
From the film鈥檚 creators, 鈥溾極yate Wokoka鈥 tells the story of the Lakota language's history, loss and revitalization. The film touches on the deep history and spirituality of the language, the shocking history that caused Lakota to be on the verge of extinction and the modern efforts being made to bring language back to life and the immense challenges this effort faces.鈥
After the showing, viewers will have the opportunity to take part in conversation with a panel of the film鈥檚 creators, Dollie Red Elk, Bryant HighHorse, George McAuliffe and Steven Newcomb.
This event is open to anyone and will be held Friday at 5:30 p.m. in the museum鈥檚 auditorium.
Jackrabbit Open Pickleball Tournament
The Miller Wellness Center will host its third annual Jackrabbits Open Pickleball Tournament, Oct. 3-5. The event will include 37 divisions of men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 singles (regular and skinny) and doubles, mixed doubles and 55-plus open doubles across all skill levels.
. Questions may be directed to Kevin Miller.
Jack鈥檚 Cupboard 鈥 Volunteers Needed!
Jack's Cupboard, the on-campus food pantry for SDSU students, is looking for volunteers to staff the facility the first week of the academic year.
. Additional information about Jack鈥檚 Cupboard can be found on sdstate.edu.
Questions may be directed to Sloane Bertke or Keri Pappas.
One Day for STATE
The SDSU Foundation will host the ninth annual , a 24-hour challenge for Jackrabbits to celebrate SDSU and the impact made through philanthropy, Sept. 4.
- Jack鈥檚 Journey will kick off One Day for STATE the night before on Sept. 3. Jack the Jackrabbit will depart from the SDSU 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 SDSU ice cream and giveaways.
- The Yellow and Blue Block Party will be held from 5-8 p.m. Sept. 4 on the Alumni Green. The event will include performances from The Pride of the 啵啵直播秀s Marching Band and the SDSU dance and cheer teams, along with food trucks, free SDSU ice cream, the Bummobile and kids鈥 activities.
Follow the SDSU 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 are now available to all SDSU students and faculty. These two companion AI applications have been selected to provide innovations for the SDSU 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 鈥淪DSU 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 SDSU 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
SDSU Extension is offering a virtual Worksite Chronic Disease Self-Management Program exclusively for SDSU 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:
- Sept. 18
- Oct. 17
- Nov. 19
- Dec. 10
- Jan. 15
- Feb. 20
- March 11
- April 15
- May 14
In addition to the in-person training, the university has created an for faculty and staff to view.
The Office of Emergency Management prepares the SDSU 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 啵啵直播秀 Incident Management Assistance Team, which helps extend emergency readiness beyond campus.
The SDSU 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.
Fall 2025 RSCA Training Series
The fall Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity training series will be held throughout the fall semester. Topics include:
- Working with Industry: 3P (Public-Private Partnership) Agreements 鈥 Sept. 9, 10-11 a.m.
- Finding Funding: Overview of SPIN Plus Funding Search 鈥 Sept. 16, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
- NSF SBIR/STTR Translational Funding Opportunities 鈥 Sept. 23, 10-11 a.m.
- Establishing a Center or Institute at SDSU 鈥 Oct. 8, 11 a.m.-noon
- Cayuse: Proposal Routing, Submission and Human Subjects 鈥 Oct. 21, 10 a.m.-noon
- Working with Tribal Partners: Best Practices in Cultivating Successful Partnerships, November, TBD
Additional information about location of the training series can be found on sdstate.edu.
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.
For questions or individual assistance, please contact Instructional Design Services.
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.
