How South Dakota State University is seeking to move up in research classification

South Dakota State University is looking to step up its research game by moving from an R2 designation to an R1.

The change is similar to SDSU’s 2004 transition from D2 athletics to D1. R1 is a designation given by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education to universities with the highest levels of research activity. SDSU is currently an R2, which is the second-highest designation.

But SDSU President Barry Dunn wants to see that designation move up the ranks, and spoke about the change Wednesday during the South Dakota Board of Regents. It’s part of SDSU’s strategic plan, “Pathway to Premier 2030.”

Dunn explained that to become an R1 university, SDSU will need support for additional faculty, which includes competitive salaries; graduate student support; pre-award and post-award grant support and management; and, a pilot program to explore offering benefits and health insurance to graduate students. Without that support, it’s an impediment to attracting graduate students, Dunn said.

R1 universities spend $50 million annually on research, and award at least 70 doctorates in any research field in a year. SDSU is close to that, as in fiscal year 2023, SDSU’s research expenditures were nearly $75 million, and SDSU averaged 54 research doctorates per year over the last six years, according to the most recent edition of the SDSU alumni magazine.

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“That’s our challenge if we want to achieve R1 is to get the doctoral programs that we have… producing more Ph.D. students and evaluating if we need additional doctoral programs,” Dunn said. “I think it’s the next thing, the best thing I could do for this university during my tenure is taking this step for South Dakota. It’ll help our university. It’ll be more vibrant.”

Dunn pointed to stable enrollment, one of the largest freshman classes in SDSU history , high retention rates, projections to award the most degrees in SDSU history over the next five years and the increase in endowed positions as examples of positive achievements to move the R1 goal forward.

Dunn said of the more than 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. only 147 are R1 institutions and 133 are R2s. He said there are only five states without an R1: Alaska, Idaho, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming.

A 30-person steering team of university leaders is analyzing SDSU’s research, scholarship and creative activity to see what influences SDSU’s research success, according to the alumni magazine, and their results will help identify what steps need to be taken to advance SDSU’s research strategy.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: How South Dakota State University is seeking to move up in research classification