Vermillion Commission Seeks Student Representative

Vermillion’s Human Relation Commission is seeking a student appointee for the upcoming school year. The Human Relations Commission was established six years ago, focusing on preventing discrimination and advocating for Vermillion residents who have experienced discrimination. The commission works alongside the Vermillion City Council to settle cases where residents may have experienced discrimination related to […]

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South Dakota Legislature Passes Bill to Ban Some Hemp-Derived Products 

The South Dakota House of Representatives voted almost unanimously to accept  Senate changes to an act to prohibit the chemical modification of industrial hemp. These changes to HB 11125 were concurred to on Feb. 29. The bill would ban Delta-8, Delta-9, and THC-O products that were made legal by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, […]

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Tuition Freeze Still in Question as the South Dakota Legislative Session Ends

Tuition increases might be another year away for South Dakota university students. On Wednesday, February 14, the Joint Committee on Appropriations announced the state’s revenue estimates, and it looks like 2025 could bring yet another tuition freeze for students attending SDBOR universities.  The possibility of extra revenue allows the House and Senate to consider ongoing […]

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“Never Forget the Names,” Students March for Missing Indigenous People

On Thursday, February 16, USD students, faculty and staff joined the Native American Law Student Association (NALSA) and the Native American Cultural Center for a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Person march.  There are 132 missing people listed on South Dakota’s Missing Persons Clearinghouse. 71 of the persons listed are Native American or Alaskan Native.  Attendees […]

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NEW SDBOR EMAIL POLICY ERASES MORE THAN A SIGNATURE

Winter Break brought sweeping changes to the communication policy for all public university’s faculty and staff. Under the new South Dakota Board of Regents (SDBOR) policy titled, “Communications and Branding,” the SDBOR limited official communication standards to name, location, and institution.  The policy includes that any further information, graphics, or links not previously listed are […]

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HOW DRAG AFFIRMS IDENTITY FOR USD STUDENTS

Finding your stride as a queer person in South Dakota can come with challenges, but for Pollie Esther, it happened by accident.   Since stumbling across RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2019, Pollie Esther has been developing herself and her identity in her parents’ basement.  “When I found [RuPaul’s] Drag Race, I got inspired and wanted to […]

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