Student Life
Toastmasters helps students, faculty build communication, leadership skills
Toastmasters, an international organization focused on empowering individuals in their communication and leadership skills, has started a chapter at USD. About 20 students, faculty and community members participate in the weekly meetings so far. At each meeting, members give a speech on a specific topic. Lee E. Felder, Jr., vice president of Human Resources for […]
USD entrepreneurs overcome struggles of starting a business, sign deal with university
The last few months have been a roller coaster of emotions for USD entrepreneurs Michael Helgerson and Naveen Rokkam. At the end of April, the two were working on incorporating WeConnectU, a business of theirs that would develop a smart application device called ConnectU, allowing universities to send location-based information to students’ phones and other smart […]
USD students give the ‘gift of life’ with 800 units of blood per year
By making a quick stop at a bus, USD students were potentially saving lives last week. Sponsored by the Sioux Falls-based Community Blood Bank, the Oct. 5-6 blood drive saw a total of 90 participating students, which is “fairly average,” said Ken Versteeg, the executive director of the Community Blood Bank. Community Blood Bank, which […]
Number of citations issued over 2015 Dakota Days ‘average’
The Vermillion Police Department was kept reasonably busy from Wednesday to Sunday last week, issuing 20 citations for open containers, 18 underage consumption tickets and had 14 incidents involving drugs or drug paraphernalia, VPD Chief Matt Betzen said. VPD also saw three disorderly conduct incidents, one assault on an officer, six incidents of public urination/defecation, three resistances to arrest, three public […]
Damaged sewage pipe in Slagle Hall leaves students, staff, faculty without water
The water in Slagle Hall has been shut off by USD Facilities Management for about two weeks due to a sewage pipe failure under the building. Shut off since Sept. 22, the issue stems from an old sewage line that leaked under the building’s concrete slab, Bob Oehler, assistant vice president of Facilities Management, said in an email […]
Funds from GAF increase allocated to CAB, others
After an increase in USD’s General Activity Fee last spring, some student organizations have been working with the Student Government Association to try to get a piece of the action for themselves. A number of the organizations, a few of which had no GAF funding at all last year, saw a noticeable jump in the […]
Sororities using smartphone app as precautionary safety tool
Two USD sororities are utilizing a safety smartphone application to protect its members as a precaution against dangerous situations when walking home late at night. SafeTrek, which is available free to all USD students, is an app that summons emergency responders to users who find themselves in need of assistance. Bridget Wilds, a member of […]
Limited funds for maintenance/repair projects to campus buildings poses dilemma
[button link=”https://volanteonline.com/verbatim” color=”red” icon=”” size=”large”]Watch a Discussion about this topic on Verbatim[/button] [button link=”https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rrFS3W_pGxh6ms5cvuAlwfidu2ZyRlCqlg7FCFUSG7c/edit?usp=sharing” color=”blue2″ icon=”” size=”large”]Download the Raw Data[/button] With 274 acres of space and 153 years of history, USD’s campus is home to a collection of buildings varying in size, age, appearance and purpose. Most of these buildings are worthy of pride. A […]
Biology Club returns to campus, aims to find wildlife niche
Years after it phased out because of lack of student leadership, USD’s Biology Club is back, and working to find its niche on campus. With about 30 regular members, the new organization is working on member recruitment, event planning and community outreach. Club President Kalie Leonard started the organization last semester as a way to […]
Athletic department hires five new staff members through GAF increase
After voting to increase the General Activity Fee last semester, the pool of student funds are already being put to use around campus. The increase – which bumped up student’s GAF fee to $4.50 per credit hour and will increase over the next three years until it caps at $13.50 per credit hour – is […]