South Dakota’s 1862 Land-Grant Institution: South Dakota State University
https://www.sdstate.edu @SDState
Founded in 1881 as Dakota Agriculture College. The school’s name was changed in 1904 to South Dakota State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. In 1964, the name again was changed to South Dakota State University.
President: Barry H. Dunn was named president of South Dakota State University in 2016. Dr. Dunn’s land-grant bona fides are extensive. He received a bachelor’s degree in biology and both a master’s and Ph.D. in animal science from SDSU. Professionally, he served as the dean of SDSU’s College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, and as both the director of SDSU Extension and as a professor of animal science. Dr. Dunn previously also was the executive director of the King Ranch Institute for Range Management for the land-grant institution Texas A&M.
South Dakota’s 1994 Land-Grant Institutions: Oglala Lakota College, Si Tanka/Huron University, Sinte Gleska University, and Sisseton Wahpeton College
Oglala Lakota College
Founded in 1971 by the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council, Oglala Lakota College (OLC) is a public tribal community college that serves the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
President: Thomas Shortbull became president of Oglala Lakota College for the second time in 1995 (he previously served as president from 1975-79). In addition to his two presidential stints, President Shortbull served three terms as a state senator as well as having held various other local government positions.
Si Tanka/Huron University
Founded by the Sioux Tribe in 1973 as the Cheyenne River Community College. The college then changed its name in July 1999 to Si Tanka College. In May 2001, the small tribal college bought Huron University, a private, accredited four-year university established in 1883. Due to financial difficulties, Si Tanka University was closed in 2006 and its accreditation was withdrawn. In 2010, a group of Si Tanka alumni reopened Si Tanka University as an unaccredited online university.
President: The president of Si Tanka is Harold L. Harris. No information on President Harris is available.
Sinte Gleska University
http://www.sintegleska.edu @sintegleskau
Sinte Gleska University was founded in 1971 and named for the Brulé Lakota chief Sinte Gleska. SGU was designed to serve the Rosebud Indian Reservation.
President: Lionel R. Bordeaux became the president of Sinte Gleska University in 1973. Prior to his presidency, he held various positions in the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Sisseton Wahpeton College
Sisseton Wahpeton College was established in 1979 as an entity of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate (formerly the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe/Dakota Nation).
President: Randy Smith is the President of Sisseton Wahpeton College. He also serves as the president of the largest organization of rural and tribal colleges in the United States, the Rural Community College Alliance. President Smith’s land-grant credentials include his serving on the community college leadership doctoral program advisory committee for the land-grant institution Mississippi State University.
