Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 55.78
Liaison Jennifer McLaughlin
Submission Date Dec. 9, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

South Dakota State University
PA-7: Affordability and Access

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.28 / 4.00 Jennifer McLaughlin
Sustainability Intern
Facilities and Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have policies and programs to make it accessible and affordable to low-income students?:
Yes

A brief description of any policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students:

The Wokini Scholarships are available for tribally enrolled citizens from the 9 SD tribal nations.

American Indian Student Center has financial scholarships, resources for emergency funding, have partnered with the Brookings Reconciliation Council to provide cars to those in need, and a free loan program for items like textbooks, office supplies, and laptops.

Flatlanders Scholarship is offered to our low income military students. $1,000 to 4 families.

US Friends collects donated items from the community and gives it to people in need including students.

Jump Start is for Native American and/or Pell Grant eligible students from South Dakota. With this program they receive three summers of free credits and then assistance through the school year with limited lending library for books and a retention advisor to meet with and help them connect to campus resources.

SDSU Housing & Residential Life offers a release process from the Regential requirement to live on campus for 2 years post-high school graduation; one qualifying category for consideration is demonstrated financial need.


A brief description of any programs to equip the institution’s faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds:
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A brief description of the institution’s programs to guide and prepare students and families from low-income backgrounds for higher education:

Student Support Services
TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) is designed to provide a supportive community for students in transition to college. Our enthusiastic staff provide various support services to promote each participant’s personal, academic and professional achievement. These supports include advising, academic resources, peer mentoring, career planning and involvement opportunities.

Upward Bound
This program prepares high school students for success in college. Upward Bound helps students by focusing early on developing academic skills and motivation. Counseling, as well as social and recreational activities, expand and encourage confidence our program participants.

Jump Start is for Native American and/or Pell Grant eligible students from South Dakota. With this program they receive three summers of free credits and then assistance through the school year with limited lending library for books and a retention advisor to meet with and help them connect to campus resources.


A brief description of the institution's scholarships for low-income students:

Flatlanders Scholarship is offered to our low income military students. $1,000 to 4 families.

Wokini Scholarships are available to student from one of the 9 tribal nations in SOuth Dakota.

The SDSU Foundation has 295 scholarship projects that have a financial need criterion directed by the donor; however, multiple scholarships may be awarded from one project. (For example, the Wokini Initiative Scholarship is need based and we award many scholarships out of that one project.) A total of $925,150.00 was awarded out of those 295 scholarship projects with financial need criteria for the 2019-2020 academic year to date.

SDSU participates in the Federal Financial Aid Programs and Federal Work-Study as well as the South Dakota Educational Access Foundation


A brief description of the institution’s targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds:

Student Support Services
TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) is designed to provide a supportive community for students in transition to college. Our enthusiastic staff provide various support services to promote each participant’s personal, academic and professional achievement. These supports include advising, academic resources, peer mentoring, career planning and involvement opportunities.

Upward Bound
This program prepares high school students for success in college. Upward Bound helps students by focusing early on developing academic skills and motivation. Counseling, as well as social and recreational activities, expand and encourage confidence our program participants.

Jump Start is for Native American and/or Pell Grant eligible students from South Dakota. With this program they receive three summers of free credits and then assistance through the school year with limited lending library for books and a retention advisor to meet with and help them connect to campus resources.

SDSU has a Coordinator of Multicultural Recruitment and an American Indian student recruiter.

Admission application fee ($20) is waived for one week during the fall.


A brief description of the institution’s other policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:

While there is no formal program, the New Student Orientation has waived fees (lodging/meals) and/or the orientation requirement when it appears to be a burden on the family.


Does the institution have policies and programs to support non-traditional students?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s scholarships provided specifically for part-time students:
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A brief description of the institution’s on-site child care facility, partnership with a local facility, and/or subsidies or financial support to help meet the child care needs of students:
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A brief description of the institution’s other policies and programs to support non-traditional students:

Part-time students have the same access to student resources as full time students. There are also advisors at the various off campus SDSU locations.

The Veterans Affairs Offices has programming at hours that support our commuters and no traditional students.

TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) is designed to provide a supportive community for students in transition to college. Our enthusiastic staff provide various support services to promote each participant’s personal, academic and professional achievement. These supports include advising, academic resources, peer mentoring, career planning and involvement opportunities.

Mother's rooms are being placed across campus.


Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (tracking accessibility and affordability)? (If data is not available, select 'No'):
Yes

The percentage of entering students that are low-income (0-100):
24

The graduation/success rate for low-income students (0-100):
47

On average, the percentage of need that was met for students who were awarded any need-based aid (e.g. as reported to the U.S. Common Data Set initiative, item H2) (0-100):
57

The percentage of students graduating with no interest-bearing student loan debt or for whom no out-of-pocket tuition is required (i.e. the percentage of graduates who have not taken out interest-bearing loans) (0-100):
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Estimated percentage of students that participate in or directly benefit from the institution’s policies and programs to support low-income and non-traditional students (0-100):
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Part I of this credit pertains to FY 19.
Part II
For the percentage of entering students that are low-income it is an estimate for FY19.
The graduation success rate is from Fall 2006 - Fall 2012 First Time, Full Time Bachelors Cohorts.


Part I of this credit pertains to FY 19.
Part II
For the percentage of entering students that are low-income it is an estimate for FY19.
The graduation success rate is from Fall 2006 - Fall 2012 First Time, Full Time Bachelors Cohorts.

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.