George Lilley 1884-1886
The first president Dakota Agricultural College was only 30 years old when he accepted the presidency of what is now South Dakota State University. In June of 1884, he arrived in Brookings from Corning, Iowa to find a campus with no buildings. He promptly gave 1/3 of his salary to finish the lone building, and by Sept. 23, 35 students had enrolled in the Preparatory Course at the college. Over the next two years, the enrollment went as high as 252. The male and female students came from many different educational backgrounds, were of different ages, and many continued to appear throughout each term. The unprecedented growth led to many problems in the college, and by the time the first degree candidate graduated on June 24, 1886, Lilley had handed in his resignation. His term in office was a time of development, and many of the ideas and plans laid down during his tenure eventually came to fruition.

Lewis McLouth 1886-1896
Lewis McLouth came to Dakota Agricultural College from Michigan Agricultural College, where he had served as professor of physics. His time in office was marked by the continued growth and development of the school. The construction of many buildings occurred during his term, including North building, South building, the shop building, and many barns and farm buildings. McLouth also privately built Woodbine Cottage, which was later bought by the college and has housed almost all of the presidents. It still serves as the president's residence today.

As President, McLouth created the School of Pharmacy and changed the institution's focus from preparatory level work to college courses in industrial and vocational fields. In a trend that has marked almost every presidential term, McLouth added many additional college courses and hired numerous teachers. A controversial change of the college calendar allowed students to work on the college agricultural farms during the terms and to teach in rural schools during the winter months. Although the change was popular with many students who were able to earn their room and board, it ended soon after McLouth's presidency.

John W. Heston, 1896-1903
Formerly the head of Washington State College, John Heston came to D.A.C. in June of 1896. As the first president to work with the newly organized Board of Regents, his administration was marked by major changes in the focus of the institution. In addition to witnessing an increase in enrollment and the construction of new campus buildings such as Solberg Hall, Heston implemented a "modern university." This modernization brought about electives, majors and minors, and specialized Bachelor's degrees including the Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Agriculture, and Bachelor of Engineering. Heston also oversaw the formation of new departments such as music and foreign languages in the liberal arts, and mechanical, agricultural and electrical divisions in engineering. In his most lasting legacy, Heston broadened the work of the Agriculture Department to include many scientific courses, reflecting his attitude that "the scientific study of agriculture is nothing more or less than the study of modern sciences in their bearing on agriculture." This approach continued to prevail after Heston's resignation in 1903, and is still evident in College of Agriculture and Biological Science courses today.

James Chalmers 1903-1906
The administration of James Chalmers was one of stability and small successes, despite the fact that he did not come from an agricultural background. His strong university training made Chalmers into a strong leader, and he was universally popular on campus. The general level of the education given at State was reported to have reached a "higher plane," during his presidency, helping to increase enrollment. Many of the programs begun by Heston were beginning to bear fruit, and Chalmer's leadership encouraged this. In addition to the expected changes in faculty and programs, Chalmers introduced the new Education Department into the curriculum, which has had a positive effect on the college over the years.

Chalmers was the second president to live in Woodbine Cottage. The college had purchased Woodbine a few years earlier and used it for a dormitory and a music department. In a legacy that continues to this day, Chalmers lived in Woodbine Cottage rent free.

Robert Lincoln Slagle 1906-1913
Robert L. Slagle left a position as President of the South Dakota School of Mines to become president of South Dakota Agricultural College, as it was then known. As an educator accustomed to South Dakota and the political climate of higher education, Slagle was able to weather many financial difficulties and have a lasting effect on both the school and the state. During this time admission standards were raised, and many buildings, including Wenona Hall, were built. The tradition of Homecoming began in 1908, and the first Hobo Day at State took place in 1912.

One of the most visible modifications Slagle implemented was to change the name of the institution. The new name, South Dakota State College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts, reflected not only the general coursework and agricultural classes taught, but also the engineering discipline. The new name was retained until the college became a university in 1964.
Other notable changes during Slagle's tenure included the implementation of the Summer School and correspondence courses which helped almost double enrollment. Slagle also started the School of Agriculture that existed at the college until 1961. This innovative school offered high school courses during the five winter months, making secondary education a possibility for a large number of rural students.

Ellwood C. Perisho 1914-1919
Ellwood C. Perisho came to State from Vermillion where he been Dean of Arts and Sciences. Despite the war, which caused a decline in enrollment and some financial strain, the college saw great growth under Perisho. During his term, the college joined the North Central Association and started the Cooperative Extension Service, now a major branch of the university.

In 1914, in an effort to increase food production for the war effort, federal aid for extension was granted through the Smith-Lever Act. The Smith-Hughes Act, which followed in 1917, called for the expansion of the Education Department to include training for agriculture and home economics. In addition to the impact the additions had on the service of the college to South Dakota, it also resulted in growth on campus. Many new subjects were introduced, and the department of Poultry Husbandry was also formed. The expansion resulted in many new buildings, including the stock judging pavilion, a hog plant, and a poultry plant. "The Barn" and the Administration building were also completed, and both the campus and the college began to resemble today's university.
 

Willis E. Johnson 1919-1923
A graduate of Illinois Wesleyan and the University of Minnesota, Willis E. Johnson came to S.D.S.C. from Northern Normal School at Aberdeen. During his term there were enormous problems with the college infrastructure and many financial difficulties resulting from World War I, but many of the changes he brought about are still felt today.

Johnson was in office when many extra-curricular activities began. During his term many student organizations were formally recognized, and intercollegiate athletics became a regular part of college life. He succeeded in opening the student bookstore and placing the post office on campus. The Printing Department also began during his term. One of his most important contributions was the creation of five divisions of study which were the precursors of today's academic colleges. Johnson was recognized for these contributions by the Board of Regents when he was installed as the first President Emeritus in 1923.

Charles W. Pugsley 1923-1940
Charles W. Pugsley was the first of two presidents to relocate to Brookings from Washington D.C. He left the office of the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture to take the position, staying for 17 years, the second longest term of any S.D.S.U. President.

Pugsley reorganized the administration into a system of deans with separate administration of financial affairs. This reorganization allowed him to devote much time to the growth of the college both on and off campus. During his term, the Division of Nursing was developed, as was the Civil Aeronautics program, both of which contributed to the great impact the college was having across South Dakota. On campus, many buildings were constructed, most with the help of the Works Progress Administration. Buildings constructed without WPA assistance include the Coughlin Campanile, the Coolidge Sylvan Theatre, and the Lincoln Memorial Library, dedicated in 1927 by President Calvin Coolidge. Pugsley also broke ground for the institution's first Student Union, eventually named after him.

George Lincoln Brown. July – Sept. 1940
From July-Sept. 1940, George L. Brown was the official President of South Dakota State College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts. He was a long term faculty member who had been Vice President and Dean of Faculty, as well as holding other positions in the college. Through the years, he had often been named Acting President during presidential searches, but he had never been officially named president. This honor was bestowed upon him until another president could be named.

Lyman Jackson 1941-1946
Lyman Jackson became president just before the United States entered World War II. The impact of the war on the college was great, with decreased enrollment and the use of college buildings as barracks, in addition to rationing. Despite those setbacks, Jackson was successful in taking the school through that difficult time and even succeeded in starting some new programs.

One program Jackson established was the Junior College Division. This plan separated the freshman and sophomore students from the upper-class students and instituted student advising, and established rules and regulations for overseeing the student body. Jackson also revamped the School of Agriculture to help it run more efficiently. The hardest work of his term, however, was in preparing the college for the return of the veterans and the many students who had left to aid in the war effort, and especially with the administering of the GI Bill, a benefit which affected so much of the work performed over the next decades.

Harold M. Crothers
Long time engineering professor Harold Crothers was named Acting President on three separate occasions, although he was never officially named president. His name deserves a mention here, however, as his work in this capacity helped take the college through a difficult decade.

Fred. H. Leinbach 1947-1951
Following Crothers' first interim presidency, Fred Leinbach arrived at state in 1947 from Colorado State College. Although his presidency was marked by a controversy in the Division of Agriculture which led to Leinbach's eventual resignation and haunted the college for many years, his term was not without positive highlights.

Many buildings were constructed during Leinbach's term, including many agricultural buildings, the Men's dormitory, and Printing and Rural Journalism. Public power from the Missouri River Basin Project became available during this time, which helped in running the campus. The Faculty Association was formed, giving faculty a voice in decisions involving their work. The Graduate Program continued to develop, and enrollment increased considerably both in graduate and undergraduate programs. Another highlight of Leinbach's term was the acquisition of the Harvey Dunn paintings, which now form a core collection for the South Dakota Art Museum.

John Headley 1952-1957
John Headley was appointed to the presidency in 1952 after working in higher education in both North Dakota and Minnesota. He brought a vison and experience to South Dakota State College, and was instrumental in ensuring its growth into a University.

During Headley's term Ph.D. programs were established on campus in three major areas: animal science, plant science and social studies. As a result, in part, of President Leinbach's troubles, a tenure policy was established for faculty, along with a sabbatical leave program. Enrollment continued to grow, and new dorms were built, including Harding Hall, then used as living quarters. Headley also adopted a plan for an art museum, which became a reality during the presidency of Hilton M. Briggs.

Hilton M. Briggs 1957-1975
Hilton M. Briggs came to South Dakota State College from the University of Oklahoma. He held the position of president for 17 years, longer than any other president before or after. During his tenure the South Dakota State College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts became the South Dakota State University, and the campus grew to match its increasing status. Indeed, Briggs' term was marked by growth. The number of departments grew, enrollment increased by more than half, and the number of buildings on campus almost doubled. Briggs was also instrumental in beginning the Greek system, initiating women's intercollegiate athletics, and weathering the controversy and activism of the 1960s. The Faculty Association became a full fledged Academic Senate with decision-making capacity under Brigg's leadership, and the Student Association also took on more responsibility. Many clubs and departments now associated with the university began under Briggs leadership and continue to this day.

Sherwood Berg 1975-1984
The first graduate of State to be named president, Sherwood Berg took office in 1975. He came to SDSU after serving as the Director of the Indonesia Project of the Midwest University Consortium for International Affairs. He had also served many years as the U.S. Agricultural Attaché in various countries around the world, in addition to his time spent as an educator at the University of Minnesota.

Berg was president during a very difficult time. He was constantly beset by major budget cuts, but managed to create some lasting programs. One area which marked a great change was the internationalizing of the campus. Programs were set up in Syria, Botswana, Senegal, and Mauritania, and the number of international students on campus grew. Berg was also an early proponent of the reciprocity program with Minnesota. In addition, he oversaw the groundwork for the first endowed chair for the university, the Ethel Austin Martin-Edward Moss Martin Chair in Human Nutrition.

Ray Hoops 1984-1985
Hoops' term of office was the shortest of any president except G.L. Brown. He arrived in August, 1984 from N.D.S.U. ready to begin work, but encountered difficulties with the Board of Regents. Hoops resigned in March, 1985, an action which has not been fully explained to this day.

Robert Wagner 1985-1997
Robert Wagner became president in 1985 after serving a very short time as chief administrator of Dakota State. He held a doctorate from SDSU, had been a teacher and administrator here and throughout the regental system.

Wagner led the school from a controversial era into a decidedly more tranquil time. His quiet attention to the internal workings of the college, rather than external politics worked well, and resulted in a great deal of growth. Despite constant budget problems, under his administration the campus expanded by more than 380,000 square feet. Twenty-two faculty were added, and technology became a major factor in the university. The College of Education and Counseling was formed, and many buildings were built, including Berg and Bailey Apartments, the Animal Disease Research, and the Northern Plains Biostress Laboratory.

Peggy Gordon (Elliott) Miller, 1998-2006

Dr. Peggy Gordon Elliott Miller, Ph.D., became the 18th president of South Dakota State University (SDSU) on January 1, 1998. Previously, she was the president of the University of Akron, and the chancellor of Indiana University Northwest.

Immediately before coming to SDSU, Dr. Miller was a senior fellow and acting vice president for academic and international programs at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Miller has extensive national leadership experience in higher education including serving on the boards of directors of the American Council on Education, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Association of Urban Universities and as the President of the Association of Teacher Educators. She was chairman of the AASCU Commission on Global Priorities and the Commission on the Urban Agenda and has been a member of the Executive Committee of the ACE Office of Women in Higher Education and the ACE Fellows Organization. She was co-chair of the NASULGC/AASCU Minority Graduate Initiative.

President Miller also has chaired and served on numerous technology and economic development boards and is currently a member of the National Competitiveness Council, and the Boards of Directors of the A. Schulman Corp. and the Lubrizol Corp.

Dr. Miller holds degrees from Transylvania University, Northwestern University and Indiana University.

David L. Chicoine, 2007-

David L. Chicoine, Ph.D. became the 19th president of South Dakota
State University on January 1, 2007. He is the third alumnus to serve
as president of the institution.

Dr. Chicoine has over 30 years of experience in higher education with the University of Illinois. He is a nationally recognized economist, specializing in public finance, taxation, and rural economics. His higher education administrative experience includes service as Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Dean of the College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Serving most recently as Vice President for Technology and Economic Development for the University of Illinois system and interim Vice President for Academic Affairs, Chicoine started his career as an Extension economist and specialist with the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service.

Dr. Chicoine is a graduate of SDSU with a B.S. in agribusiness in 1969, and the University of Delaware where he received an M.S. in agricultural economics in 1971. In 1978 he received an M.A. in economics from Western Illinois University, and in 1979 he completed his Ph.D. in agricultural economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Bibliography

Books

Kramer, J. Howard. South Dakota State University A History 1884to 1975. Brookings, S.D.: South Dakota State University, 1975.

Powers, William H., ed. A History of South Dakota State College. Brookings, S.D.: South Dakota State College, 1931

Newspapers

Brookings (S.D.) Register Register Publishing Co., 1890-Present

Collegian (Brookings, S.D.). Students Association, South Dakota State University, 1885-Present
 

Updated 22 January 2008 by cjg

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