SOUTH DAKOTA STRAIGHT TALK

I visited the South Dakota State University campus this week and was briefed on several of the changes taking place on the campus.

Included were briefings and tours of the SDSU / Brookings Research Park otherwise known as Innovation Campus and the new Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences building. Included were presentations about technology transfers and recruitment of research and development partners.

Currently about $45 million in federal government funded research is taking place at State. This is out of a total of (if my numbers are correct) approximately $77 million being spent in South Dakota. SDSU being number one among the South Dakota Universities makes sense because of the emphasis on agriculture and engineering.

There is a real economic development emphasis to the efforts of SDSU, the State of South Dakota, the City of Brookings, and private enterprise who are partners in the Innovation Campus.

While overall I am impressed with the efforts being made and believe it is good for South Dakota. I question fostering applied research with public monies for the benefit of private interests.

Thomas A Edison, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, Bill Gates, and many others transformed their worlds with innovation without an incubator. William Hewlett and David Packard founded their business in Packard’s garage with an investment of $538.

However I was most impressed with my first real look at David Chicoine the new President of South Dakota State University. Chicoine received his Undergraduate Degree from SDSU and several degrees later earned a PhD in Economics from the University of Illinois (Champaign – Urbana). He became a member of the faculty at Illinois where he later served as Dean of the College of Agriculture where he remained for 30 years ultimately becoming a Vice President for Technology and Economic Development and Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs of the University. Over the years he published four books and wrote or peer reviewed more than 100 academic journal articles.

Chicoine was a originally an Elk Point Pointer and is the son of long time Democrat South Dakota Legislator (he served in both the State House and Senate) Roland Chicoine. Chicoine met his wife at SDSU and one of his sons was born in Brookings. His wife was originally from nearby Volga.

From his words and actions (and resume) it is extremely clear that Chicoine is no stranger to the world of Politics. What impressed me most is that he has vision but (perhaps because he is a trained economist) while also focused on both persistence and results. Though I found him very focused he has an easy touch.

His comments at his Investiture as President show insight to his political bent and his vision and understanding of a University education. Of particular note is his belief that Universities are an important engine of the Knowledge Economy.

South Dakota State is fortunate in convincing David Chicoine to return home. The Board of Regents has done a good job in recruiting talent. Not only have they recruited Chicoine but Robert Wharton, the new President of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology a good catch.

Worth noting – President Chicoine while with the Fighting Illini served for eleven years as the University’s representative to the Big 10 Athletic Conference and the NCAA. I acknowledge he was not the Athletic Director but why Mr. President did you ever let Bill Self get away? The answer I suspect is the same reason that Chicoine left Illinois. – The pull of home was too great.

President Chicoine created a little controversy recently when he joined the Monsanto Company’s Board of Directors. Reportedly he will receive compensation including stock options next year of $390,000. Perhaps his new sports car is a celebration of his Monsanto position?