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AUGUST 28, 2013
BOR requests $6 million in tuition freeze Emily Niebrugge and Trent Opstedahl The Volante
The South Dakota Board of Regents is setting a freeze in tuition and fees its number one priority for the 2015 fiscal year. In an overall request for $11.6 million made this month, the BOR has asked for the state to consider designating more than half of the fund-
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Wristbands separate tailgaters Braley Dodson The Volante
ing request on freezing tuition, with the rest of the funding to benefit the state's six public universities. Janelle SMITH To m a n , director of communications for the BOR, said although the request calls
for a variety of aid, about $6 million is specifically being set aside for tuition, and is their biggest priority. If granted, the $6 million would offset the cost to raise salaries for faculty, staff and administration, which has been funded through increases in tuition in the past. Because the state only covers 41 percent of the staff and faculty salary packages, the rest comes from tuition charg-
es, Toman said. "That's the biggest driver of our tuition increases," she said. The S.D. BOR has sent the request to S.D. Gov. Dennis Daugaard, and is now waiting for an informal budget hearing next month. Daugaard will then work on his proposal, which could offer a different level of funding than originally requested. The BOR will know by December
whether the request has made it onto his proposal list, which would then go to the S.D. Legislature for final approval. Dennis Smith, executive director for the BOR Student Federation, is pleased with the state surplus the Gov. has helped to generate since taking office in 2011, and said he does not foresee any key issues that would hinder the passing of a tuition and fees freeze. "The Gov. has done a real-
ly good job of cutting things as necessary and saving up money," Smith said, a senior at the University of South Dakota. "This is probably the most important piece of legislation to come to education in quite awhile." Elected by the Student Federation governments at each of the six regental schools, part Please see MONEY, Page A4
MOVE-IN DAY 2013
A squeeze and a shuffle New students and USD officials handle arrival, overflow Creighton Hoefer The Volante
A new tailgating experience will be tested Aug. 31 at the first football game against UC Davis. After making the change to DivisionI athletics last year, USD officials hoped to change tailgating procedures to create a more traditional setting for a MUCKEY pregame activity for students. Student cars, games and grills will be moved south and placed in the overflow parking lot of Coyote Village. The new layout will have vehicles facing each other in the tailgating area and drivers will have the option to pick their vehicle up the next day. Wristbands will be available for students 21 and over for alcohol consumption. A committee will review how the experience goes, and, Please see CHANGE, Page A4
BUSINESS
IT center opening in spring Michael Geheren The Volante
Augie Jimenez was not supposed to move into North Complex Aug. 23. He was supposed to be at basic training for the Iowa National Guard. Instead, Jimenez moved into USD housing facilities with more than 1,000 other first-year students as part of the campus’ official move-in day. The total was similar to the number of first-year students who moved in last year, according to a previous Volante article. Jimenez, of Ireton, Iowa, was set to depart in July for a five-month stint in National Guard basic training. After its duration, he planned to enroll at USD for second-semester classes. However, a car accident in June drastically changed his plans. “I had a dislocated hip and a fractured jaw,” he said. “Since I couldn’t go to basic training (July 17) with injuries, that means I’m going to school for the first semester until January.” Volunteers were on hand both days to help new and returning students carry their belongings to their assigned room for students like Jimenez, who arrived on campus by himself. Jimenez said move-in was made easy by the dozens of volunteers available to help. “It was great,” he said. “I didn’t even have to carry any-
EMILY NIEBRUGGE/ THE VOLANTE
The class of 2017 enters the USD DakotaDome for the convocation ceremony Aug. 23. Student Government Association President Erik Muckey, Dean of Students Kim Grieve, Provost Chuck Staben and President James Abbott each spoke at the ceremony.
thing in. They took most of my stuff away, and then all I had to do was move my car after.” While the move-in system received a range of student and parental feedback, parent Julia Comer expressed concern
“I know this happened last year because I have another son who is a junior, and he stayed in Richardson,” Julia Comer said. “I guess I’m a little concerned if you get to know the roommates and all that, and then you’re
all split up. I’m not sure if they leave you in the same room or on the same floor.” Associate Dean of Students Phil Covington said overflow Please see HOUSING, Page A4
Crazies capture 'organized chaos' Joey Sevin
The Vermillion Technology Center expects to hire 200 IT workers after the Eagle Creek Software Services opens in May 2014. The facility will be located west of the University of South Dakota campus near Walmart. Some of the employees will be USD students participating in the Information Technology Consultant Academy. Eagle Creek’s Vermillion Technology Center broke ground Aug. 13, and the $10 million facility will be moving offshore technology resources to the Midwest. “This is a good example of a global company acting locally,” said Simon Boardman, vice president of Marketing at Eagle Creek Software Please see TECHNOLOGY, Page A4
for her son Nathan in regard to the housing situation in North Complex. Nathan Comer, a first-year student, moved into one of the overflow lounges necessary to accommodate the overcapacity enrollment.
The Volante
Students cheer on the Coyote football team.
VERVE
Sculptures serve as meeting place for students.
Verve, A8
FILE PHOTO
Rooted in school spirit and athletic vitality, the Coyote Crazies are bringing a sense of ‘organized chaos’ to the University of South Dakota to strengthen school pride and develop a solid fan base. What started as a basic concept in the late ‘80s has flourished into a long-term project carried by the Coyote Crazies, a student-led movement looking to better engage students into a Division-I atmosphere. Erik Muckey, president of the Student Government Association and a member of the Crazies, is backing the organization to create a more receptive student body at athletic events and around campus. “It’s nothing new,” Muckey
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said. “It’s been around, and by the time it really took force was around the time USD transitioned to Division I.” Muckey said that a college campus thrives when it is fostered by a dedicated fan base. He hopes to diminish the possibility of students leaving the sporting events at half time, and supporting the Coyotes 100 percent, to avoid similar situations like the Dakota Days football game against Western Illinois last fall. “If we can get it across to students that their support makes a huge impact, that will make a huge difference,” he said. Morgan Alderman, a first year, also said that a Division I school needs a Division I crowd. “I grew up around the Twin Cities and my family would always go to Gopher games at the University of Minnesota,” Alderman said. “I want to have
SPORTS
Coyote football set to open against the UC Davis Aggies.
Sports, A6
that kind of atmosphere at USD. I think it’s really awkward when the crowd just isn’t revved about the game.” Sophomore, Rachael Sterne, said she believes that school pride should not be left in the DakotaDome but rather seen all over campus. “It’s definitely important to show your spirit at the games but I think it’s equally important to tell everyone you’re a Coyote even around campus,” Sterne said. Building a fan base and developing a sense of pride around USD won’t happen overnight, for any good tradition takes time to get established and find its place, Muckey said. The Coyote Crazies have already planned a variety of Please see SPIRIT, Page A4