As a Board of Regents, we are charged with providing South Dakota citizens with a higher education system that can produce a globally competitive, well-educated workforce and a research and technology-centered economic development engine that can compete regionally, nationally and globally.

A central question for measuring our activities is, does a specific activity advance the reputation and influence of South Dakota in achieving our two-fold mission?

Recent discussions have focused on the wisdom of having university personnel engaged with business corporations, specifically as independent external members of their boards of directors. Although this is a practice South Dakota university presidents have been doing for many years, discussion on this issue was raised when David Chicoine, president of South Dakota State University, was selected for membership, as an independent director, on the Monsanto board of directors.

Advertisement

This is the first time a South Dakota university administrator was selected for board membership with a major corporation headquartered out of state.

Chicoine was sought out because of his expertise and national reputation as an economist and his experience in technology transfer and commercialization.

This is an opportunity for Chicoine to associate with persons of national stature. This is an opportunity to recognize South Dakota public universities have the kind of leadership common in major research and teaching universities across the country. This is an opportunity to advance South Dakota public universities both nationally and internationally, much like earlier this year when one of our basketball teams not only made it to the Division I NCAA basketball tournament but was a real competitor and achieved much success.

This is change for South Dakota.

South Dakota public universities are now giving leadership to science-, technology- and innovation-based economic development, to more powerful graduate and professional education and to more highly regarded undergraduate education that has been common in other states and their public universities for decades.

It is encouraging to know we have the talent in South Dakota to be a participant in national business activities.

For the Board of Regents, Chicoine will be evaluated for his leadership of South Dakota State University.

Will the university continue to grow its record research portfolio and advance research-derived economic growth in South Dakota?

Will the university continue to grow in the record number of students it serves, especially graduate students?

And will the university’s foundation continue to raise record levels of gifts?

Being recognized for his leadership and talent by the Monsanto board will definitely contribute to Chicoine’s ability to move the university to a new level of productivity and service to South Dakota.

The bottom line is not the compensation Monsanto provides its independent directors for their service but whether the reputation and influence of South Dakota will be advanced for the betterment of its citizens and its economy.