Toby Uecker

Rodney Palo isn’t used to being a husband yet. The Hayti native was engaged for only two days before his National Guard outfit, the 727th Transportation Company, was activated. Hastily married before the private first class shipped out in January 2003, Palo and his wife, Sophia, have spent the past few days getting reacquainted.

SDSU got a first-hand lesson in media impact this week following a controversial installment of the campus newspaper’s sex advice column. The column prompted student debate across campus and drew the attention of local news agencies, including two Sioux Falls television stations.

This Christmas, my family is doing something we’ve never really done for the holidays before. We’re taking a full-on vacation. You see, my dad’s a pastor. The guy’s got some important stuff to do in the days surrounding one of the major Christian celebrations of the year.

While recent plans for program collaborations at state universities have some South Dakotans asking if the system is too large, the South Dakota Board of Regents says it has no plans to close any schools. “Institutions have specific missions and service missions, including geographical responsibilities,” said Board of Regents Executive Director Robert “Tad” Perry.

South Dakota State University describes diversity as a trademark of the education it offers. With undergraduate degrees offered in eight colleges and over 200 majors, the land grant institution provides a number of different opportunities to students looking to further their knowledge in a number of areas.