Ģ����ý

1961

• A proposal was passed by the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission to establish a Cooperative agreement between South Dakota State College, the U.S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, and the Wildlife Management Institute concerning a Cooperative Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit.

1963

• The South Dakota Cooperative Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit was established by cooperators: South Dakota State College, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, U.S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, and the Wildlife Management Institute. This was the 18th unit formed in the country.
• Paul F. Springer became Leader, Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit. A.B. 1943, University of Illinois; M.S. 1948, University of Wisconsin; Ph.D. 1961, Cornell University.

1965

• The South Dakota Cooperative Fishery Ģ����ý Unit was established by cooperators: Ģ����ý, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, and the U.S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife.
• Alfred C. Fox became leader, Cooperative Fishery Ģ����ý Unit. B.S. 1955, Cornell University; M.S. 1961, Montana State University; Ph.D. 1965, Montana State University.

1966

• Rollin D. Sparrowe was the first M.S. student to begin and finish his program in the department.
• Richard A. Tubb became assistant leader, Cooperative Fishery Ģ����ý Unit. B.S. 1958, Oklahoma State University; M.S. 1960, Oklahoma State University; Ph.D. 1963, Oklahoma State University.

1967

• Richard A. Tubb resigned as Cooperative Fishery Ģ����ý Unit Assistant Leader.
• Paul F. Springer resigned as Cooperative Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit Leader.
• Raymond L. Linder became leader, Cooperative Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit. B.S. 1953, University of Nebraska; M.S. 1955, Iowa State University; Ph.D. 1964, University of Nebraska.
• Richard L. Applegate became assistant leader, Cooperative Fishery Ģ����ý Unit. B.A. 1959, South Illinois University; M.A. 1961, Southern Illinois University; Ph.D. 1974, Ģ����ý.
• Robert B. Dahlgren became assistant leader, Cooperative Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit. B.S. 1950, Ģ����ý; M.S. 1955, Utah State University; Ph.D. 1972, Ģ����ý.

1968

• The 25th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• The department faculty consisted of six members.
• Robert B. Dahlgren received the Professional Award from the Central Mountains and Plains Section of The Wildlife Society.
• Robert B. Dahlgren received the Wildlife Award from the South Dakota Chapter of The Wildlife Society.
• Alfred C. Fox resigned as Cooperative Fishery Ģ����ý Unit Leader.

1969

• The name of department changed to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from the Department of Wildlife Management.

1970

• Donald C. Hales became Leader, Cooperative Fishery Ģ����ý Unit. B.S. 1953, University of Utah; M.S. 1955, Utah State University; Ph.D. 1967, University of Utah.

1971

• The 50th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• The department faculty consisted of eight members.

1972

• Ray Linder received the South Dakota Chapter of The Wildlife Society, Wildlife Professional Award.

1973

• Robert B. Dahlgren resigned as Cooperative Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit Assistant Leader.

1974

• The 75th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• Frank Schitoskey, Jr., became assistant leader, Cooperative Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit. B.S. 1965, Midwestern University; M.S. 1967, Texas Tech. University; Ph.D. 1973, University of California, Davis.

1977

• Donald C. Hales resigned as Cooperative Fishery Ģ����ý Unit Leader.
• Richard L. Applegate became leader, Cooperative Fishery Ģ����ý Unit. B.A. 1959, South Illinois University; M.A. 1961, Southern Illinois University; Ph.D. 1974, Ģ����ý.

1978

• The 100th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• The department faculty consisted of 10 members. Robert S. Benda became assistant leader, Cooperative Fishery Ģ����ý Unit. B.S. 1965, Indiana State University; M.A. 1967, DePauw University; Ph.D. 1971, Indiana State University.

1980

• Frank Schitoskey, Jr., resigned as Cooperative Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit Assistant Leader.
• The National Wetland Inventory Team was established. Ray Linder was responsible for initiating the Inventory. It started as a two-person operation (Greg Weaver and Dave Nomsen) in a trailer at the Wildlife Farm.

1981

• Robert Benda resigned as Cooperative Fishery Ģ����ý Unit Assistant Leader.
• Alan Wentz became assistant leader, Cooperative Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit. Wentz joined the faculty as Extension wildlife specialist in 1975. B.S. 1969, Ohio State University; M.S. 1971, Oregon State University; Ph.D. 1976, University of Michigan.

1982

• The 125th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• John Ratti, Les Flake, and Alan Wentz edited and published the book “Waterfowl Ecology and Management: Selected Readings” published by The Wildlife Society.
• Alan Wentz resigned as Cooperative Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit Assistant Leader.
• Initial federal budgets provided zero funding for the Cooperative Ģ����ý Unit program.

1983

• The Cooperative Ģ����ý Unit program was again not in the budget.

1984

• Richard L. Applegate resigned as Cooperative Fishery Ģ����ý Unit Assistant Leader.
• An agreement was reached to form the South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit from two existing units. This reduced from four to three the number of unit personnel.
• Ray Linder received the Professional Award from the Central Mountains and Plains Section of The Wildlife Society.

1985

• Raymond L. Linder retired as unit leader. Emeritus status was granted. Also a large gathering of past students was present for a retirement party.
• Charles R. Berry, Jr., became unit leader, South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit. B.S. 1967, Randolf-Macon College; M.S. 1970 Fordham; Ph.D. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
• Kenneth F. Higgins became assistant unit leader. B.S. 1965, Colorado State University; M.S. 1968, Ģ����ý; Ph.D. 1981, North Dakota State University.

1986

• The 150th M.S. student graduated from the department.

1988

• Kenneth F. Higgins conducted a “Grassland Burning Workshop.”

1989

• The 175th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• Walter G. Duffy became assistant unit leader. B.S. 1973 Michigan State University; M.S. 1975 Michigan State University; Ph.D. 1985 Michigan State University.

1990

• A Ph.D. in biological sciences program was started. It was a joint program among the biology department at University of South Dakota and Ģ����ý departments of wildlife and fisheries sciences, biology-microbiology, plant science, veterinary science, and animal and range sciences. Dairy science later joined this group.
• Walter G. Duffy conducted a “Bioenergetics Workshop.”
• Kenneth F. Higgins and Walter G. Duffy received Special Achievement Awards from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Kenneth F. Higgins was elected President of the Central Mountains and Plains Section of The Wildlife Society.

1991

• Kenneth F. Higgins received the Dean’s Award for Ģ����ý.

1992

• The 200th M.S. student graduated from the department.

1993

• Charles D. Dieter became the first wildlife-oriented biological sciences Ph.D. graduate. He was also the first to obtain the degree from this program at Ģ����ý or the University of South Dakota.
• Christopher S. Guy became the first fisheries-oriented biological sciences Ph.D. graduate.
• The 225th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• Kenneth F. Higgins coordinated the “Piping Plover and Least Tern Symposium/Workshop.”

1994

• The department faculty consisted of nine members.
• The South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit received the Division of Cooperative Ģ����ý Award for Outstanding Science.
• Kenneth F. Higgins received the Professional Award from the Central Mountains and Plains Section of The Wildlife Society.

1995

• The 250th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• Walter G. Duffy conducted a “Bioenergetics Workshop.”
• Charles R. Berry, Jr., and others conducted a “Watershed Management Workshop” for the James, Vermillion and Big Sioux rivers.

1996

• Diane Granfors was the first female Ph.D. to graduate from the department.
• The Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit became part of the U.S. Geological Survey.
• Kenneth F. Higgins received the South Dakota Chapter of The Wildlife Society, Wildlife Professional Award.

1997

• The South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit sponsored the 2nd South Dakota Watershed Management Workshop. Charles R. Berry, Jr., was instrumental in planning the workshop, which was held in Brookings.
• Walter G. Duffy resigned as assistant unit leader.

1998

• The 275th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• Kenneth F. Higgins became the first person to receive the South Dakota Academy of Science Fellow Award. The fellow designation was initiated in 1997 to recognize and honor members of the academy who have made outstanding contributions to scientific research, teaching and/or service.
• Charles R. Berry, Jr., was named as a Berg Fellow by the Soil and Water Conservation Society.
• Kenneth F. Higgins was named editor for the proceedings of the South Dakota Academy of Science.

1999

• The 10th Ph.D. student graduated from the department.
• The South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit were cosponsors of a four-day conference entitled “Sustaining the Missouri River for Future Generations.” The conference was in Pierre.
• Steven R. Chipps became assistant unit leader. B.S. 1990 Davis and Elkins College; M.S. 1992 West Virginia University; Ph.D. 1997 University of Idaho.
• Tate D. Fisher, Douglas C. Backlund, Kenneth F. Higgins and David E. Naugle published “A Field Guide to South Dakota Amphibians.” It was published by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and was 52 pages long.

2000

• The 300th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• Kenneth F. Higgins and three co-authors published the book “Wild Mammals of South Dakota.” It was published by South Dakota Game Fish and Parks and was 278 pages long.
• The agreement for the South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit was revised.

2001

• The 325th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• The M.S. in wildlife and fisheries no longer has a wildlife option and a fisheries option. They changed to a wildlife specialization and a fisheries specialization. The Ph.D. in biological sciences changed from a fisheries science area and a wildlife science area to a fisheries science specialization and a wildlife science specialization.
• The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences (and Ģ����ý) became a University Cooperator in the Great Plains Cooperative Ecosystem Study Unit. The host university is the University of Nebraska; other cooperators are the University of Oklahoma, Texas A&M University, and the University of North Dakota.
• Steven R. Chipps presented a “Modeling Mercury Contamination” workshop.
• Charles R. Berry, Jr., received the South Dakota Wildlife Federation Communicator Conservationist of the Year Award.

2003

• The 350th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• Charles R. Berry, Jr., received the Dakota Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Distinguished Professional Service Award.
• The department had its 40th birthday. It was formed in 1963. It was also the 40th anniversary of the Cooperative Unit program at Ģ����ý.
• The South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit, with Kenneth F. Higgins as the chair, sponsored a “Bioblitz.” This was an effort at determining biodiversity and was conducted at Oakwood Lakes State Park.
• The South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit received the South Dakota Wildlife Federation’s Educator Award.

2004

• The 20th Ph.D. student graduated from the department.
• Kenneth Higgins was co-chair of the 3rd Missouri River and North American Piping Plover and Least Tern Habitat Workshop/Symposium.
• Sarah J. Bandas and Kenneth F. Higgins published “A Field Guide to South Dakota Turtles.” It was published by the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service and was 36 pages long.
• Charles R. Berry, Jr., received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Randolph Macon College. Berry did his undergraduate work there.

2005

• The 375th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• Numerous department faculty, students, and other professionals conducted a three-day workshop entitled – Bird Capture, Banding, and Marking Techniques and Strayed or Nuisance Mammal Capture/Removal. The workshop was in August in Brookings and its organizers were Kenneth F. Higgins, Kent C. Jensen, Jonathan A. Jenks and Spencer J. Vaa.
• The department became a charter member of American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) Academic Membership Category.

2006

• The 400th M.S. student graduated from the department.
• Kenneth F. Higgins retired and received Professor Emeritus status.

2007

• Charles G. Scalet retired. Scalet had been a department faculty member for 34 years — the longest period of time that anyone had been on the department faculty. He also served as department head from 1976 through 2007 — the longest period of time anyone had been head of the department. Scalet has received emeritus status.
• Charles G. Scalet received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Cooperative Ģ����ý Unit Program for his assistance to that program over the years.
• David W. Willis was named the new department head on Dec. 3, 2007. Willis will start his duties on Jan. 1, 2008. A national search was conducted for the position.
• Charles R. Berry, Jr., received a Cooperative Ģ����ý Unit Recognition Award for Service Excellence.
• Steven R. Chipps was elected President-Elect of the Education Section of the American Fisheries Society. He will begin his duties as president in two years.

2008

• The department graduated its 30th Ph.D. student and its 425th M.S. student.

2009

• Charles R. Berry, Jr., and Steven R. Chipps received the STAR (Special Thanks for Achieving Results) Award from the U.S. Geological Survey.

2010

• The department faculty consisted of 10 members.
• Charles R. Berry, Jr., leader, South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit since 1985, retired after 34 years of professional service. He received emeritus status from the South Dakota Board of Regents in August 2010 and has office space in the unit support room.
• Steven R. Chipps became leader, Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Ģ����ý Unit. His immediate attention focused on filling the other two unit positions.
• Steven R. Chipps was elected president of the Education Section for the American Fisheries Society.
• Kenneth F. Higgins endowed a Waterfowl Legacy Ģ����ý Endowment for the Department.