Monday Message, September 29
SDSU Community,
What a wonderful weekend it was at South ֱ State University. The campus was filled with energy and excitement as we welcomed families, alumni and guests for Family Weekend and a very important recruiting event with Senior Day. Jackrabbit Pride was everywhere, from the student events and campus tours to the stands of Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. Hundreds of visitors joined us throughout the two days, and the weekend concluded with a Jackrabbits football victory over Mercyhurst.
These celebrations highlight the best of our community — the way students, families, faculty, staff, alumni and friends come together to show their support and share in the spirit of SDSU. Thank you to everyone who helped make it possible. The planning and execution of these events require tremendous work, and your efforts ensured our guests felt welcomed and experienced the pride we all have in this university.
This week, several of us will travel to Spearfish for the October meeting of the South ֱ Board of Regents, hosted Wednesday and Thursday at Black Hills State University. and includes a number of items directly related to SDSU. These meetings are important opportunities to represent the work taking place on our campus and to engage in the collective efforts of public higher education in South ֱ.
Before the regents convene, leaders from our College of Nursing and I will take part in a special celebration — the grand opening of the renovated and expanded Black Hills State University–Rapid City facility, which will serve as a home for our West River nursing programs. The event takes place tomorrow afternoon and is the culmination of an important collaboration between South ֱ State, Black Hills State, Monument Health, the Board of Regents and the Office of the Governor. Together, we are addressing the state’s critical need for health care professionals and providing a modern learning environment for our nursing students.
I also want to acknowledge recent questions throughout higher education and within our state regarding freedom of expression. For faculty and staff, an important resource that includes policies or expectations in this area can be found on sdstate.edu. I encourage you to review these materials and use them to guide your work and conversations on campus.
Thank you for everything you do to advance our mission and strengthen South ֱ State University. This past weekend reminded me once again of the pride, passion and commitment that make SDSU such a special place.
Sincerely,
Barry H. Dunn
President
South ֱ State University
Above and Beyond recognizes individuals and groups of South ֱ 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’s Above and Beyond recognizes Klingbeil Endowed Department Head of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Kasiviswanathan “Muthu” Muthukumarappa, who was awarded the International Food Security ֱ in honor of Bor S. Luh by the Institute of Food Technologists this summer.
The award is given annually at the institute’s IFT First conference, the largest global food science and innovation expo. It goes to a person or team who exemplifies leadership to drive informative change in the global food system and whose research has made substantial advancements in food manufacturing related to meeting the preferences and nutritional and economical needs of people living in emerging economies.
Throughout his nearly three-decade career at SDState, Muthu, also a Distinguished Professor in the college, has mentored more than 85 undergraduate and graduate students, a notable factor the selection committee considered in its review. Also noted were his leadership on research projects totaling more than $20 million, more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and more than 350 presentations given around the world.
Adding value to crops important to South ֱ and other areas of the world is at the heart of Muthu’s research. His wide-ranging portfolio includes developing technology to refine all parts of a plant to produce high-value products, such as turning the stems and leaves of a soybean plant that are generally left behind into food for ֱs, residue for forestry, biofuels and other products to reduce waste. He has also held numerous leadership roles for the Food and Process Engineering Institute, including on its Food Standards Council.
Congratulations to Muthu earning the Institute of Food Technologists’ International Food Security ֱ and thank you for going Above and Beyond to mentor dozens of SDState students and leading research projects that have a big impact on South ֱ, the region and the world.
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.
Mandatory Employee Reporting Training
This is a reminder that all active employees received an email with a link to complete the South ֱ Board of Regents Employee Mandatory Reporting Training within KnowBe4. The training video will provide employees with information regarding their responsibility to report any suspected improper government conduct or crime. Please complete the mandatory training by tomorrow.
The link to make required reports is available through the Experience portal on the Employee Dashboard under My Activities, titled “Improper Conduct/Crime Reporting.”
If you have questions about the training, please contact Human Resources or the Office of General Counsel.
Discounted Jackrabbits Tickets
South ֱ State Athletics would like to offer all SDSU faculty and staff discounted tickets for only $5 per ticket in an exclusive sale to the following events:
- Thursday – SDSU Soccer vs North ֱ; Fishback Soccer Park at 7 p.m. The event is Cubby’s Feed the Fans. Fans will receive a complimentary meal, while supplies last.
- Oct. 9 – SDSU Volleyball vs Kansas City; First Bank & Trust Arena at 7 p.m.
The deadline to purchase tickets using this code is the event date at 5 p.m. To access the sale, visit and use the offer code FACSTAFFAPPRECIATION. This sale is only available online, while supplies last.
Contact the Jackrabbits Ticket Office with questions at 605-688-5422 or SDSU.Tickets@sdstate.edu.
South ֱ Land and Lending Conference
SDState faculty and staff are invited to the South ֱ Land and Lending Conference on Wednesday, at the Sioux Falls Premier Center. The event features four keynote sessions focused on the U.S. economy, real estate markets, education and credit.
Highlights include a conversation with KPMG Chief Economist Diane Swonk on monetary policy, and panels featuring experts such as Christine Gaffney, Jay Parsons, Eric Lynch, and others. Breakout sessions, co-sponsored by SDSU Extension, will explore timely topics in real estate and lending. A full agenda and speaker bios are available online. Anyone interested in attending may email Joe Santos for a complimentary ticket.
Writing Center Fall Workshop
The SDState Writing Center is offering small group workshops this fall, focusing on common areas of concern for students. Each workshop will be held in the Writing Center located in Room 103 at Hilton M. Briggs Library and will be limited to 10 participants.
Workshop topics, dates and times are available online. Email Amber Jensen to check availability and sign up for a workshop.
Yoga at the Art Museum
The South ֱ Art Museum will host Grounded in Art: Evening Yoga, a practice that encourages relaxation, balance and creative renewal in a setting that supports both body and mind.
All supplies are provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own mat if able.
The museum will also offer a chair yoga class on Monday mornings at 8 a.m. Chair yoga offers a gentle practice designed to enhance flexibility, reduce stress and promote overall wellbeing.
Both sessions will be guided by certified yoga instructor Mandy Lyons.
Contact the museum with questions at 605-688-5423. Additional information for evening yoga and chair yoga is available on sdstate.edu.
Upcoming Self-Management Workshops
SDSU Extension is offering free evidence-based workshops to help adults living with chronic conditions build confidence and skills to better manage their health.
These workshops provide practical strategies for eating well, staying active, reducing stress and working with your health care team. Staff, students and faculty are encouraged to attend.
Workshops offered include:
- Diabetes Self-Management Program
- Chronic Disease Self-Management Program
- Cancer: Thriving and Surviving Program
- Worksite Chronic Disease Self-Management Program
- Building Better Caregivers Program
- Chronic Pain Self-Management Program
or call 1-888-484-3800.
Faculty Development: AI in Teaching and Learning
Instructional Design Services is teaching a new D2L course titled “AI in Teaching and Learning: Getting Started.” Faculty can enroll in the self-paced D2L course that introduces the fundamentals of artificial intelligence in education, explores ethics and policy, and guides participants in designing AI-supported learning activities.
As a supplement to the course, a resource guide on best practices for using AI in your teaching: (Elon University/AAC&U).
Faculty who complete all modules and assignments will earn an , recognizing the professional development achievement.
To get started, log into D2L, from top left click Discover and search for SDSU: AI in Teaching and Learning: Getting Started to self-enroll. For related questions, please contact Instructional Design Services
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 “SDSU Resources” 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 “check” 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’s conference and forthcoming 20th anniversary eLearning Conference on Sept. 29-30.
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:
- 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 a 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, Federal Emergency Management Agency-aligned emergency management plan and the emergency operations center and utilizes response protocols from FEMA’s National Incident Management System and the Incident Command System.
The emergency management team provides a strong connection with local and state emergency networks and fosters community resilience and leadership as part of the South ֱ 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:
- Establishing a Center or Institute at SDSU – Oct. 8, 11 a.m.-noon
- Cayuse: Proposal Routing, Submission and Human Subjects – Oct. 21, 10 a.m.-noon
- Team Science: Building Effective Collaborations in Research – Oct. 28, 11 a.m.-noon
- Working with Tribal Partners: Best Practices in Cultivating Successful Partnerships – Nov. 6, 4-5 p.m.
Additional information about location of the training series can be found on sdstate.edu
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Fall 2025 IDS Training Schedule Now Available
. The training focuses 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.
Touchdown Tuesday
Touchdown Tuesday will be tomorrow. In-store items at Jackrabbit Central and online will be 25% off following the Jackrabbits 51-7 victory against Mercyhurst.
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.
