This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I am a Utah man, sir, but I live in St. George?
Dixie State College of Utah is exploring ways of partnering with the University of Utah to meet the educational needs of a community with explosive growth, the college announced Friday.
Dixie's Board of Trustees wants the college to become a campus of the U. of U. The name would likely change, Dixie officials say, and the college's president would become a chancellor reporting to the U.'s president.
Despite the transformation, Dixie would remain about 95 percent autonomous, President Lee Caldwell has explained to faculty and staff. The U. would step in where Dixie needs help, from offering library resources to providing faculty. Dixie would maintain an independent budget and board.
"Whatever University of Utah has could be offered at University of Utah-St. George if it makes economic and program sense," said Shandon Gubler, chairman of Dixie's Board of Trustees.
The collaboration could potentially allow the school to offer more degrees, which are badly needed to help improve Washington County's work force.
"We have a number of employers who are feeling very constrained," Caldwell said.
Dixie would continue to offer associate degrees despite the change.
The move would cost an estimated $7 million annually to pay for more faculty and staff, he said. Assuming Dixie moves ahead with the plan, both the U.'s Board of Trustees and the Utah State Board of Regents also would have to approve the change.
Leaders at both campuses stress the proposed partnership is still in the exploration period.
"Right now we are in the initial discussion and research phase," said Steve Johnson, Dixie spokesman. "The University of Utah made no moves to initiate this."
But if the necessary approvals take place over the next several months, the status change could take place as early as next summer, officials said.
The approval of an initial partnership under which the U. will provide instruction for three master's degree programs at Dixie led to further discussion about an increased collaboration.
"We have always said we are Utah's university," said U. President Michael Young. "We are inclined and interested in helping where we can to make the system better."
Utah Higher Education Commissioner Richard Kendell said any alliance must complement the rest of the state's higher education system instead of duplicating efforts.
What that will mean in the long term for Dixie is still up in the air, he said.
"If problems are minimal, you may very well see a proposal to create Dixie as an academic unit of the University of Utah," Kendell said. "But we're just not there yet."
Southern Utah University, a public university in nearby Cedar City, has been told no programs will be duplicated in St. George.
"The Utah Legislature allocated partnership money last session so we can deliver degree programs in St. George and we will continue to do that," SUU President Michael Benson said. "We trust in the assurances from the Commissioner's Office that no programs or degrees will be brought to the Dixie State campus that we currently offer."
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* JULIA LYON can be contacted at jlyon@sltrib.com or 801-257-8748.
What's next?
Town meetings will take place in Washington and Kane counties over the next three weeks to collect feedback on the possibility of Dixie State College becoming a campus of the University of Utah. Call 435-652-7544 for more information.