Contacts: Jack R. Warner, Executive Director and CEO
jack.warner@sdbor.edu

Janelle Toman, Director of Communications
Janelle.toman@sdbor.edu

Telephone: (605) 773-3455
Fax: (605) 773-5320
www.sdbor.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Higher Ed Center to Become Black Hills State University-Rapid City

VERMILLION, S.D. – The South Dakota Board of Regents Wednesday approved a request to rebrand a Rapid City-based public higher education center as Black Hills State University-Rapid City.

Responsibility for what has been called University Center-Rapid City and its academic offerings has been shared by the public university system, since the center opened four years ago adjacent to Interstate 90 on the east side of Rapid City. Prior to the current facility, public university courses and degrees were offered at various locations over the years, including downtown storefronts and at Ellsworth Air Force Base.

BHSU officials requested that administrative and financial authority be placed with Black Hills State University to help create a clearer brand identity and a stronger awareness within Rapid City of what degrees and educational programs are available to students. While the facility will be known as BHSU-Rapid City, it will continue to collaborate with other state public universities to expand its degree and course offerings.

“Despite a historic shared responsibility for this center, Black Hills State University has continuously delivered roughly 90 percent of the courses since the Board of Regents began to aggressively target off-campus delivery more than a decade ago,” Jack Warner, the regents’ executive director and CEO explained. “The goal here is to offer up a strong public comprehensive university brand at Rapid City to supplement the science and engineering programs available at SDSM&T, as more commuter students look for educational opportunities closer to home.”

Additional details about the transition to Black Hills State University-Rapid City will be announced by the BHSU administration.

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