Justin R. Lessman

An anti-DI petition circulating around SDSU and Brookings has garnered the attention of some who support the move.

The petition, which started circulating a few weeks ago, was spearheaded by Lorna Jost, a research assistant at SDSU’s Station BioChem.

Jost plans to bring the petition to the Board of Regent’s DI public forum in Sioux Falls on Dec. 4. She also wants to give copies to each regent and one to SDSU President Peggy Miller.

Jost said she started the petition because she found very few people who were actually in favor of the move, but did not have a way to express their opposition.

“Of all the people that I talked to about the Division One move, nobody- not one person- was for it,” she said.

A two-page information and background packet titled, “SDSU: Who in their right mind would go Division I?” accompany the petition. The packet outlines eleven points on why the petitioners do not approve of the proposed DI move.

The petition asks SDSU administration officials to “listen to the practical people of South Dakota.”

Jost said her petition has thus far been received well around campus and the community.

“Both students and community members have been very willing to sign,” she said. “We will see how many names we’ve got at the end of this month.”

Those circulating the petition will turn in signatures to Jost at the end of November.

Ben Solomon, Student Association vice-president, said he and the SA were aware of the petition. Senators saw it at the Nov. 11 SA meeting.

Solomon said it had not been officially presented at the meeting.

“We feel that the petition contains views that may not be all that accurate,” he said. “The accuracy can be checked by the facts that lie in the report by Carr Sports and Associates.”

Solomon said the resolution passed by the SA in October in support of the DI move remains the position of the Association.

“Our resolution still stands,” he said. “The decision was made not after reading some petition, but after many informative presentations of facts by Dr. Oien and his staff.”

Reportedly, the petition has surfaced in some classes around campus, where organizers and supporters of it are seeking signatures.

Joe Sullivan, a senator from the College of Ag & Bio, said Solomon did talk briefly about the petition at the meeting, and instructed senators on how to handle it if it did come up in a class.

“He said, if the opportunity arose, we could clarify facts or answer any questions about the statistics and claims printed on the petition,” Sullivan said. “He just reminded us to stand by what the senate had decided.”

Solomon said the petition is still in the SA office if anyone would like to see it.

“Students just need to remember that information presented might not be completely accurate,” he said. “Meanwhile, our resolution still stands and we continue to support it.”