BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University’s Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering has restructured and renamed one of its departments, now known as the Department of Construction and Concrete Industry Management.

The renaming and restructuring took effect July 1.

The department was previously known as the Department of Construction and Operations Management, and the name change happened in conjunction with the operations management program moving into SDSU’s Ness School of Management and Economics.

Construction management and concrete industry management are the department’s two largest programs, both of which have seen tremendous growth in enrollment, according to Sanjeev Kumar, Jerome J. Lohr Endowed Dean of the College of Engineering.

“The bachelor of science in concrete industry management is one of five such programs in the nation; thanks to the concrete industry for their collaboration and significant support for the success of the program,” Kumar said. “Elevating the program name into the department name signifies SDSU’s support for the program and potential for significant continued growth.”

This name change has different implications for the department’s various stakeholders, according to Tim Hostettler, concrete industry management program director.

“For me, it symbolizes the recognition of a tremendous amount of hard work by several dedicated individuals working together as a cohesive team, and the realization and understanding of how much work remains to be done,” Hostettler said.

He added that industry groups acknowledge this change as a commitment to the success of the program, and students should recognize that they are the foundation of a unique program at SDSU.

The department’s new title reflects the recent restructuring of the academic programs within the department,” Nadim Wehbe, interim department head, said. “The concrete industry management program, which is still in its infancy, is probably the fastest growing program on campus. The new department title recognizes concrete industry management as one of the primary programs offered by the department.”

The Department of Construction and Concrete Industry Management houses the following programs:

• Undergraduate programs — bachelor of science in concrete industry management, construction management and electronics engineering technology, and associate of science in construction technology and engineering technology.
• Minors in concreate materials science, construction, engineering management, heavy highway construction and mechatronics technology.