Why are we doing this?
Does the SDSU Central Administration support this Discussion/Exploration?
Who is taking over whom?
Will FCS or CEC lose its' identify?
Would the new college maintain its relationship with Cooperative Extension and the Agricultural Experiment Station?
What will happen to some of the 'special' programs?
How does this proposal relate to the budget?
Have any other Universities formed alliances like this one?
Why FCS and CEC?
What will be the name of the new college?

Why are we doing this?
We are exploring a New College (yet to be named) for several reasons.  First, the Colleges involved share similar missions.  FCS offers two teacher education programs and a human services degree which is often viewed as excellent preparation for the Counseling program in CEC.  Building a new College will also mean a larger College with greater resources, a stronger critical mass of faculty, students and alumni, and ultimately provide more flexibility.  Ultimately we feel that this may allow both Colleges to maintain a strong state and national presence as well as better serve the citizens of South Dakota.

Back to top

Does the SDSU Central Administration support this Discussion/Exploration?
This discussion has the support of the President and Provost.

Back to top

Who is taking over whom?
No one is taking over anyone. FCS is not being absorbed by CEC – CEC is not being absorbed by FCS.  Instead, the two colleges are exploring the forming of an alliance to create a new college which is larger and would have a broader scope than either college currently has on its own.

Back to top

Will FCS or CEC lose its' identify?
Locally and nationally, the new college would be clearly associated with the both Human Sciences and Teacher Education and will be clearly associated with the American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) and the South Dakota Department of Education.  FCS has a long and established 125-year history at SDSU and CEC traces its history back to 1904 with the establishment of a Teacher Education program at SDSU. Content and programs would continue to thrive in the new college. The roots of the new college would remain closely tied to its originating colleges. Students, faculty, alums and community stakeholders will be able to continue finding a comfortable home in the new entity.

Back to top

Would the new college maintain its relationship with Cooperative Extension and the Agricultural Experiment Station?
The new college would continue to have a strong relationship with Extension and AES in the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences.  CES and AES would retain its research and cooperative extension programs in Family & Consumer Sciences.  The new configuration will bring about the possibility of expanding CES to other areas of the College.  The Agricultural Education program is already expanding its definition to include specializations with Journalism and Leadership specializations.

Back to top

What will happen to some of the 'special' programs?
Special programs in FCS and CEC such as the Family Resource Network, the Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education, Nutrition Seminar, or the cohorts for the CHRD M.S. program and the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction will continue as important elements of the new college. For instance, we would have every intention of moving forward with plans and fund raising to renovate the preschool playground and NFA 429 foods lab, and to continue and upgrading/renovation of Wenona Hall.

Back to top

How does this proposal relate to the budget?
A new college would consolidate two colleges into one, which could present a small cost savings although this concept is not motivated by the intent to save money.  While there will be one Dean instead of two, we would add at least one Associate Dean position and perhaps enhance other administrative functions (e.g. a Director of Graduate Studies in the College, a full time development officer, etc).  Some other efficiencies may develop as faculty and staff come together to form a unified whole. Provost Peterson has assured us that both college budgets would stay complete with no loss of resources.

Back to top

Have any other Universities formed alliances like this one?
Yes. Looking around the country, we see programs in Oregon, North Dakota, Colorado, Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska, West Virginia and Tennessee that have also strengthened their respective colleges through alliances with education, health, and human development.

Back to top

Why FCS and CEC?
Both colleges focus on enhancing people’s quality of life. Both colleges are accredited by their relevant professional societies (AAFCS, NCATE, and CACREP) and both have programs that enjoy national recognition. Philosophically, FCS and CEC both emphasize holistic, interdisciplinary approaches to research, teaching and outreach, and both are known for building connections between scholarship and practice. Both colleges take a proactive, positive view of human development and learning and both recognize the importance of studying the interactions among systems. Between them, CEC and FCS have a critical mass of faculty whose work addresses the needs of individuals, families, schools and communities. These commonalities provide a strong foundation for a successful alliance. At the same time, the two colleges complement, but do not duplicate each other’s work. This also provides a good rationale for combining forces.

Other units (i.e. academic programs) and individuals may join this effort over time. The total combination should enhance our effectiveness in addressing people’s education and human science needs in South Dakota and beyond.

Back to top

What will be the name of the new college?
We do not yet know what the name will be. However, everyone recognizes the importance of a name and much thought and participation will go into choosing one.

Back to top