ST. GEORGE, Utah, Nov. 10, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — On Wednesday evening, the Utah Senate, in a 17-12 vote, passed a bill to change the name of Dixie State University to Utah Tech University.
House Bill 2001 will now go to Gov. Spencer Cox for final approval.
Earlier Wednesday afternoon, with a 56-15 vote, the Utah House of Representatives passed the bill to change the university’s controversial name, but with an amendment allowing the university’s main campus to be called the “Dixie campus” for at least 20 years.
In October, the Utah Board of Higher Education voted to recommend the name Utah Tech University. In a subsequent news release, university officials said:
“The university appreciates the board’s support for this forward-thinking institutional name. Utah Tech University highlights the institution’s academic mission to prepare students for the workforce by combining a rich liberal arts education with active learning experiences.”
The name recommendation process went on for several months and included more than 25,000 responses through surveys, interviews, focus groups, listening meetings, and more, university officials said.
After the Utah Senate approved the bill Wednesday night, Dixie State released the following statement:
Dixie State University sincerely thanks the Utah State Legislature, Utah Board of Higher Education, DSU Board of Trustees, the Name Recommendation Committee and the countless individuals who work tirelessly to create the strongest educational environment possible for our students. The legislature’s vote to change the institution’s name to Utah Tech University provides us with a reputable name that highlights who we are as a comprehensive polytechnic university and helps set us up for continued success.
The University is committed to offering students a well-rounded quality education complete with active learning experiences and industry collaborations to successfully meet workforce demands. We will continue to offer and expand our programs in a wide variety of academic disciplines while placing a concentrated focus on the STEM, healthcare and business fields.
We look forward to building a Utah Tech University brand that will strongly represent what it means to be a Trailblazer while continuing to preserve the pioneering heritage of our institution and region. Pending the governor’s signature, the name Utah Tech University will become official on July 1, 2022. We will continue to provide updates and information regarding the name change process at dixie.edu/nameprocess.
Thank you, once again, to our legislative leaders and the numerous individuals across the entire state who participated in the name recommendation process over the last year and a half.
