SOUTH DAKOTA BOARD OF REGENTS Committee on Academic and Student Affairs AGENDA ITEM: III B DATE: April 3-4, 2013 ******************************************************************************* SUBJECT: Eagle Creek Software Systems and GOED Contract with USD and Establishment of a Certificate Program On March 13 th, Governor Daugaard and USD President James Abbott joined Eagle Creek Software Services CEO Ken Behrendt at a press conference on the USD campus to announce a partnership that seeks to bring 1,000 high-tech jobs to South Dakota (see Attachment III for press release). The joint effort will begin with the creation of a new $10 million technology center to be built in Vermillion, with rural high-tech jobs being phased in over the next 3-5 years. To grow the workforce that is necessary to meet the demand for high-tech jobs, staff from the University of South Dakota, the Governor s Office of Economic Development, and South Dakota Board of Regents have been working with Eagle Creek Software Services to develop an undergraduate IT Consultant Academy certificate program (see Attachment I). IT Consultant Academy includes a 12 credit hour, undergraduate certificate offered by USD carrying the same name. GOED funds the student tuition, fees, and instructional expenses. The tuition arrangement for this program is in keeping with BOR Policy 2:13, Third Party Requests for Academic Credit. Specifically, the academy includes three components including: 1. 12 credit hours with a scholarship for full tuition and fees; 2. 3 month paid internship with Eagle Creek; 3. Job interview with Eagle Creek Additionally, the University of South Dakota, in tandem with Dakota State University, also seeks to partner with Eagle Creek Software Services and InfiniteIQ Consulting to develop an innovative, customized, graduate learning experience which will be delivered in Vermillion, SD, and will prepare individuals for employment with Eagle Creek and/or InfiniteIQ. InfiniteIQ Consulting is a company that enables customers to leverage scalable, economical and modern toolsets based on the Big Data technology ecosystem. The Big Data Summer Program (see Attachment II) efficiently sequences four graduate courses over an eight-week period to prepare participants for an IT-related profession in the business field frequently called Big Data. The (Continued) ******************************************************************************* RECOMMENDED ACTION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Approve the certificate awarded through the IT Consultant Academy, and the cooperative agreements between USD & the Governor s Office of Economic Development for the IT Consultant Academy and the Big Data Summer Program.
Eagle Creek Software Systems and GOED Contract with USD and Establishment of a Certificate Program April 3-4, 2013 Page 2 of 2 GOED contract funds student tuition at the self-support rate (see Attachment III). Each class will be offered in an immersion, executive-style fashion over two weeks in Summer 2013. A copy of the agreement between GOED and USD is provided in (Attachment IV). Because credit is being awarded through this jointly sponsored program, BOR Policy 5:3.1F agreement that provides for joint sponsorship of educational programming for which credit be awarded establishes that Board approval is required. Representatives of the Academic Affairs Council and the Council of Presidents and Superintendents have reviewed the agreement. The Executive Director recommends approval.
ATTACHMENT I 3 SOUTH DAKOTA BOARD OF REGENTS Certificate Request This form is to be used to request approval for a new certificate program that includes currently offered courses. A certificate program is not a major or minor. Refer to BOR policy 2:23 Certificate Programs. USD Computer Science, College of Arts & Sciences Institution Division/Department Institutional Approval Signature Date 1. Name of Program: Information Technology Consultant Academy 2. Provide a justification for the program. The University of South Dakota, in consultation with Dakota State University, seeks to create an Information Technology Consultant Academy certificate. The certificate, phase-one of the Academy, will provide accepted students with twelve credits of customized, undergraduate computer science and business courses focused on developing a trained STEM workforce. The certificate curriculum was designed by USD computer science and business faculty and Eagle Creek professionals to meet the corporate workforce needs of Eagle Creek Software Services. 1 Interested students will complete an application to the Academy. Those with the appropriate academic background or experience will be selected to interview with Eagle Creek Software Services professionals. Accepted students will begin the Academy by completing the four, undergraduate courses which comprise the certificate, preferably during their junior and senior years. Academy students certificate course tuition and fees will be paid for, per educational contract with the Governor s Office for Economic Development. Upon completion of certificate, Academy students are eligible to apply for a paid internship at an Eagle Creek project center. Students who successfully complete the paid internship experience qualify for an interview for employment as an IT Consultant with Eagle Creek Software Services. 3. Who is the audience for the program? Current USD degree seeking undergraduates majoring in a STEM-related or business area, as well as students with an interest in information technology consulting will be targeted for recruitment to the Academy and this certificate. Degree pursuing students from other South Dakota public universities are welcome to apply. While the certificate courses will be taught on the Vermillion campus, all courses will be offered simultaneously via distance learning technology (Collaborate) making the program available to students throughout South Dakota who have been admitted to the Academy. 1 Eagle Creek was founded in 1999 to provide consulting and technical expertise, enabling IT professionals to increase quality and efficiency while managing risk and price. It is the largest systems integration company in North America dedicated to Oracle, CRM, BI and corporate software development. Eagle Creek Software Services has business locations in Pierre, South Dakota, Valley City, North Dakota, and Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Their forthcoming expansion to Vermillion, South Dakota, was the catalyst for the Academy concept including this undergraduate certificate program.
ATTACHMENT I 4 4. List the courses to be completed, the credit hours of each course, and the total number of credit hours required for the program. Prefix & # Title Credit Hrs CSC 492: CSC 492: BADM 492: BADM 492: Software Engineering for IT Consulting Advanced Software Engineering for IT Consulting Database Management Systems Project Management for Business Consulting Total Credit Hours Required 3 3 3 3 12 5. Proposed CIP code 11.1099 (This would be a new CIP code for USD) Title: Computer/Information Technology Services Administration and Management, Other. Definition: Any instructional program in computer/information technology services administration and management not listed above. 6. Effective Date of Certificate Program Fall 2013
ATTACHMENT II 5 March 20, 2013 To: Paul Turman, System Vice President of Research and Economic Development Sam Gingerich, System Vice President for Academic Affairs From: Laurie Becvar, Representing USD Contract and Customized Training Re: Cc: Contract Education Proposal, Big Data Summer Program Dr. Chuck Staben, Provost, University of South Dakota Dr. Cecelia Wittmayer, Provost, Dakota State University The University of South Dakota, in tandem with Dakota State University, is seeking approval from the Board of Regents for a customized, educational program titled, Big Data Summer Program. Board approval is being sought under Policy 5:31F Other agreements that provide for joint sponsorship of educational programming for which credit shall be awarded. Big Data Summer Program Summer 2013 Program Description: The University of South Dakota, in tandem with Dakota State University, has partnered with Eagle Creek Software Services and InfiniteIQ Consulting to develop an innovative, customized, graduate learning experience which will be delivered in Vermillion, SD, and will prepare individuals for employment with Eagle Creek and/or InfiniteIQ. Eagle Creek is a consulting company that helps customers maximize software investments to improve efficiencies and quality while managing price and risk. InfiniteIQ Consulting is a company that enables customers to leverage scalable, economical and modern toolsets based on the Big Data technology ecosystem. The Big Data Summer Program efficiently sequences four graduate courses over an eight-week period to prepare participants for an IT-related profession in the business field frequently called Big Data. Each class will be offered in an immersion, executive-style fashion over two weeks in Summer 2013. About Eagle Creek Software Services Eagle Creek was founded in 1999 and provides consulting and technical expertise to the enterprise, enabling IT professionals to increase quality and efficiency while managing risk and price. Eagle Creek is the largest systems integration company in North America dedicated to Oracle, CRM, BI and corporate software development. By use of their revolutionary "Dakota Model," Eagle Creek has successfully served more than 300 Fortune 1500 organizations across 15 industries. The Dakota Model has been very successful in creating jobs in South Dakota. About InfiniteIQ Consulting InfiniteIQ Consulting was founded in 2012 to provide consulting and implementation services for Big Data technologies. InfiniteIQ resources provide domain expertise to companies in the financial services, transaction processing, travel, health care and energy
ATTACHMENT II 6 sectors. Infinite IQ leverages its deep experience in enterprise technology management and data systems to provide a structured and repeatable framework for Big Data technology exploration, implementation, and integration. How does the Program work? Students will make a special application to the Big Data Summer Program. Eagle Creek and Infinite IQ professionals will review application materials, interview applicants, and select participants to enter the program. Students will complete the four (4) graduate courses and gain in-depth knowledge and skill in: data systems, data querying and preparation, data science and analytics and deriving knowledge from data at scale. The courses will be customized to meet the needs of the company and they will carry special topic numbers at the graduate level. (They will not be equivalent to other, similar courses currently being offered by the universities.) Each course will be offered for 3 graduate credits. Students accepted into the program will have their tuition fully funded by the Governor s Office of Economic Development, at the self-support tuition rate. Dakota State University will offer the data systems class and the University of South Dakota will offer the remaining three. Students who successfully complete the four courses will qualify for an employment interview, which would ideally lead to employment with Eagle Creek and/or Infinite IQ Consulting. Admission Requirements for Big Data Summer Program: Admission Requirements: Must complete specialized application for the Big Data Summer Program. Must be a high school graduate. Must have completed an undergraduate degree. Must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.7. Minimal prerequisites for applicants include at least one, but ideally two, semesters of college-level statistical methods and substantive coursework covering regression analysis. At least one course in college-level Calculus. Eagle Creek and Infinite IQ leadership will review applications, interview prospective students, and approve admission decisions, managing communications through USD s Division of Continuing and Distance Education. Admission to the program is selective. Decisions are based on a combination of the factors including: Aptitude for quantitative analysis and academic success as evidenced by undergraduate coursework, and/or work experience; Professional or other experience that suggests a propensity for teamwork; Maturity, self-initiative and leadership potential Career aspirations which align with the program s mission. The Big Data Summer Program will be held in subsequent semesters / summers as company demand warrants.
ATTACHMENT III 7 Eagle Creek Software Services and South Dakota Team to Create 1,000 Jobs New $10-Million Technology Center to Open in Vermillion, S.D.; Scholarships and Career Track at University of South Dakota Will Train Workforce Eagle Creek Software Services, the leader in onshore information technology services, announced today a partnership with the state of South Dakota and city of Vermillion to bring 1,000 jobs to the state. The rural high-tech jobs will be phased in over the next 3-5 years. A new $10 million technology center to be built in Vermillion, S.D. will house 200 of those jobs. With U.S. based companies continuing to invest in information technology, there is an increased need for a skilled workforce -- a demand that will only grow as technology becomes synonymous with corporate America. Currently, many companies look overseas to fill STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) jobs, but with a new emphasis on higher education's connection to economic development, U.S. companies can create a long-term solution to their technology needs. Eagle Creek's onshore model, coordinated with a new scholarship program at the University of South Dakota (USD), gives business control over their IT talent pool and IT needs. "Foreign, or offshore, IT solutions are not adequately filling the needs of the U.S. market," said Ken Behrendt, president of Eagle Creek Software Services. "Technical skills are only one piece of core IT competencies. Today's IT reality requires an understanding of U.S. business practices, communications skills beyond technology and a focus on time-to-market. By better educating our workforce, Eagle Creek Software Services can create a more sustainable and scalable IT solution while growing jobs in America." Through a partnership with the Board of Regents and USD, the newly launched Information Technology Consultant Academy will provide eligible students with a scholarship and a strategic career track to employment as an IT consultant. USD students have two scholarship options: a certificate program for undergraduates and a master's program. The South Dakota Board of Regents plans to approve the certificate program at its April Board meeting and discussions between Eagle Creek and the Board of Regents continue about a customized master's degree. "The challenges of today's job market call for new skills and approaches," said James W. Abbott, president of the University of South Dakota. "Our mission as a university should be to prepare students to succeed in an increasingly high-tech workforce. We applaud and are proud to partner with Eagle Creek on this innovative project. The Information Technology Consultant Academy will put students on a career path for success." The IT Consultant Academy at USD will create a well-trained local workforce in South Dakota who can take advantage of high paying jobs. Graduates of the certificate program can expect to make between $40,000-45,000. Students with a master's may earn between $50,000-$60,000. "This is a great day for South Dakota and the resurgent technology business in America," said Gov. Dennis Daugaard. "With a $10 million investment in the Vermillion community and new career path for University of South Dakota students, we are on track to create meaningful jobs that will benefit the community and make South Dakota more globally competitive in the information technology sector."
ATTACHMENT III 8 The city of Vermillion proved to be an ideal location for Eagle Creek's South Dakota expansion. "Vermillion is already known as a destination for world class higher education," said Steve Howe of the Vermillion Area Chamber and Development Company. "This announcement further positions our city as a leader in technology and a global force in the IT industry. Vermillion is proud to be on the forefront of South Dakota's technology surge." The undergraduate IT Consultant Academy certificate program consists of: 12 credit hours with a scholarship for full tuition and fees 3 month paid internship with Eagle Creek Job interview with Eagle Creek The Master's Degree program consists of: 2-3 year program ending with a Master's Degree Job interview with Eagle Creek Scholarship for as much as $20,000 The IT Consultant Academy will take its first full class this fall and the new technology center in Vermillion will be open in 2014. Individuals interested in applying for the IT Consultant Academy can do so at: www.usd.edu/cde/it.cfm ABOUT EAGLE CREEK With over 300 consultants, Eagle Creek Software Services is the largest U.S. based onshore software Services Company. The 14-year-old Minneapolis-based consulting company has focused on improving efficiency and quality, while managing price and risk, for its Fortune 2000 clients. This means investing in America, where Eagle Creek has become a leader in rural IT sourcing with technology centers already established in Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota. For more information on Eagle Creek visit, http://www.eaglecrk.com/ Media Contact: Tyler Pearson Creaxion for Eagle Creek Software Services tyler@creaxion.com 404.495.4431 SOURCE Eagle Creek Software Services
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