The authorization was unfunded, however, and classes did not begin until 20 years later under the auspices of the privately incorporated University of Dakota, created with support from the citizens of Clay County.

Ephraim Epstein served as the first president and primary faculty member in the institution that opened in loaned space in downtown Vermillion.

Within the program is the Farber Fund, named for university professor emeritus William O. Farber, which provides subsidy to political science and criminal justice majors to attend conferences, participate in study tours, complete internships, and study abroad.

The University of South Dakota is based on a 216-acre (87 ha) campus along the bluffs near the Missouri River in the southeast corner of the state.

USD opened the newly constructed Theodore R. and Karen K. Muenster University Center (MUC) for student use on February 17, 2009.

[13] The MUC houses the Student Activities Center, a campus dining facility, coffee shop, bookstore, convenience store and a number of lounge and TV areas.

One of the newest additions to the campus is the Al Neuharth Media Center, named for the founder of USA Today.

Formerly an armory and athletic field house, the building was converted into a media center through donations made by Al Neuharth, a 1950 USD graduate.

There are several other locations across campus that are designated gallery space, such as the hallway on the second floor of the Muenster University Center.A $15 million, 61,000-square-foot (5,700 m2) wellness center opened in the spring of 2011.

[15] The DakotaDome serves not only as the home venue for the school's football, softball, swimming, basketball, volleyball, and track and field teams, but also as a recreational center for the student body.

Coed-floors in the North Complex house men and women on the same floor on opposite sides with lounges, laundry and restrooms as a visual barrier.

McFadden Hall is for non-freshmen, graduate, professional and non-traditional students, outfitted with 25 four-person apartments and furnished individual single bedrooms.

Located just south of the DakotaDome, the four-story, 175-unit complex provides suite-style and apartment living for 548 students.

In fall 2005, USD's Media & Journalism Department revived its weekly live 30-minute television newscast, Coyote News.

The KYOT-TV and KAOR-FM studios are located in the Al Neuharth Media Center on USD's campus.

In 2011 KAOR FM was renamed Coyote Radio, following the University of South Dakota's decision to end the U.

The central on-campus headquarters for KAOR Radio is the Al Neuharth Media Center while the transmitter lies atop Slagle Hall on USD's campus.

It is a network of Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) television and NPR radio stations serving the state of South Dakota.

The studios and offices are located at 500 N. Dakota Avenue in the Al Neuharth Media Center on the west edge of campus.

The University of South Dakota sponsors six sports for men (football, basketball, swimming & diving, cross country, track & field and golf) and nine sports for women (basketball, swimming & diving, cross country, track & field, golf, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball).

USD eventually moved up to Division I and in the 2011–2012 academic year, SDSU and USD resumed regularly scheduled contests in most sports when the Coyotes joined the athletics conferences in which SDSU was a member, the Summit League and the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

"[41] Among the thousands of graduates from the University of South Dakota, notable alumni in the field of journalism include Al Neuharth, founder of the USA Today B.A., 1946; Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools B.A., 1983; Tom Brokaw, American broadcaster and longtime NBC Nightly News anchor B.A., 1964.