James W. Abbott was named the 17th president of The University of South Dakota by the South Dakota Board of Regents on February 12, 1997, and began his term of office on July 1, 1997. Abbott has two degrees from USD (BA '70 and JD '74) and is the first alumnus named president of the University, the state's flagship institution founded in 1862.

Abbott is a lifelong resident of South Dakota, growing up in Irene and Yankton. He has taught middle and high school social studies, been a political science instructor on the college level, practiced law, and actively managed various businesses. Prior to becoming president, he was president and chief executive officer of Zylstra Communications Corporation, Yankton, SD.

He is a former Yankton City Commissioner (1985-1990) and served in the South Dakota House of Representatives (1991-1992). He has served as a board member of many state and community organizations including the South Dakota Community Foundation, the South Dakota Lottery Commission, the South Dakota Economic Development Finance Authority, Dakota Wesleyan University, and the United Way. He currently serves on the American Council on Education's Commission on Government and Public Affairs, The Freedom Forum's Al Neuharth Free Spirit Award Selection Committee, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities' Task Force on Special Needs of Doctoral Institutions, Governor Janklow's Citizens' Education Review Panel, and is a member of the South Dakota State Board of Education. He serves the National Trust for Historic Preservation as an Advisor for the state of South Dakota.

Since coming to USD, President Abbott has led the University through a long-range planning process, culminating in a five-year strategic plan entitled Setting the Standard. As part of that plan, the University implemented a programmatic review of every department, college, and school within the University, which is currently underway. Campaign South Dakota, a $60 million fund drive (the largest ever in South Dakota history), has been instituted to increase scholarships for students, build new buildings for the School of Medicine and School of Business, and fund endowments to improve faculty salaries.

The University of South Dakota was recently reaccredited by The Higher Learning Commission, the accrediting body of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, for a full ten-year period. The University also moved to the forefront of mobile technology use on campuses with a three-year pilot program coordinated with Palm™. Under the program, USD provides a Palm™ handheld computer to all first-year undergraduate students as well as first-year law and medical students.

He and his wife Colette have three daughters: Sara, Lyndsey, and Nancy.