SD Regents OK leadership and AI degrees at 3 universities

This story has been updated.

VERMILLION, S.D. (KELO) — Dakota State University can start a master degree in artificial intelligence at Madison, Northern State University can begin a master degree in strategic innovation and leadership at Aberdeen, and University of South Dakota can offer a bachelor degree in agribusiness leadership at Vermillion.

The South Dakota Board of Regents gave each the green light on Thursday. Among other new offerings receiving approval is a bachelor degree in digital content creation at Dakota State.

DSU provost Rebecca Hoey explained the proposal for the master in artificial intelligence. She noted that the university, which specializes in advanced technology, doesn’t have have a doctoral program in AI but many doctoral students have AI as part of their dissertation projects.

“Our interest in AI is very inter-disciplinary,” she said. “This is absolutely aligned to our mission.”

The job market is “rapidly increasing” for AI, according to Hoey. The plan calls for launching the AI degree this fall, with ten students projected and growing to 48 in year six. One additional faculty member is needed to start, and a second would be necessary in year three.

Regent Jeff Partridge of Rapid City voted no, after learning from Hoey that none of the organizations providing letters of support had been asked to help fund it.

NSU associate vice president Erin Fouberg outlined the plan for the master in strategic innovation and leadership at Northern. She said no new faculty will be needed. The goal is that graduates can start new companies. Enrollment this fall is expected to be eight and reach 20 in year six.

“We’re already seeing the fruits of that labor at Northern State University,” Fouberg said. NSU student Grace Kramer started a company called eqUTI, which earned a second place in the student competition of the 2023 Giant Vision awards, and two NSU students are Giant Vision finalists this year .

USD provost and academic affairs vice president Kurt Hackemer and business dean Timothy OKeefe presented the proposal for the bachelor in agribusiness-leadership. Two students are projected this fall with 36 expected in year six, with 15 to 20 needed to break even. A faculty member will be needed in the second year, but a slot is being held open, so no additional funds are needed.

Partridge, a financial analyst, told them they were “way off” in their projections, as in too conservative. “I think this could be huge,” he said.

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