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DSC Board of Trustees Select Dixie State University as New Institution Name
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 Friday, January 18th, 2013
Dixie State College of Utah's Board of Trustees voted unanimously to rename the institution "Dixie State University" at their meeting Friday morning. In addition, the Board unanimously approved a resolution for the institution to attain university status.
The new name recommendation will advance to the Utah State Board of Regents for approval next Friday, Jan. 25th, where it is also anticipated that at that meeting (held at DSC), the Regents will vote to formally approve university status for Dixie State College. The matter will then move on to the Utah State Legislature, where the new name of the institution will be presented for final legislative approval and funding consideration.
"All of us - our students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, everyone - combined to create this new university," said DSC President Dr. Stephen D. Nadauld. "We need to work together moving forward to make this university a pillar of the community, a beacon of light that our future students will gravitate to as a place where they can learn, grow, mature, and enter the world ready to take on any challenge ahead of them."
In October, the institution announced a partnership with Sorenson Advertising, a St. George-based firm, to establish a new institutional identity that will honor and communicate the heritage, history and traditions of the institution; build upon the already established brand; and carry the institution into its second century and beyond.
Since the process began, DSC and Sorenson Advertising have engaged institutional stakeholders in one-on-one interviews, focus groups and public forums in an effort to establish a new institutional identity as the college progresses toward gaining university status. In November, a comprehensive quantitative questionnaire was launched designed to engage all of DSC's stakeholders in the process.
"Every effort was made over the last three months to make this process as open and transparent as possible, while at the same time engaging all institution stakeholders to ensure that everyone who had an opinion about the new name of the university was heard," President Nadauld noted. "Strong feelings on both sides of the name issue were identified and articulated. It has been a healthy debate and airing of both our strengths and shortcomings."
The findings from the online survey, along with all the qualitative research and data collected from input gathered through the focus groups, forums and interviews, were made public at a meeting Jan. 9. From those findings, Sorenson Advertising announced its conclusions and recommendations based entirely on the research and data collected all institution stakeholders who participated in this process.
All the research and the data provided by Sorenson Advertising, along with all other information gathered, were fully vetted by the DSC Board of Trustees prior to the Board's final vote.
"The Board of Trustees studied the [university naming] issue with intensity," said DSC Board of Trustees Chair Steven G. Caplin "We carefully considered input and recommendations of all stakeholder groups. There were lively discussions and differences of opinion about what the name should be.
"As with stakeholders at large, the Trustees saw the merits of several different naming options, and the majority preferred 'Dixie State University,'" Chair Caplin continued. "In the end the Board chose to unite as one body. We unanimously stand behind the Dixie State University name and encourage all stakeholders to do the same. This is the time to combine our resources, make our best contributions, and rally around this great institution."
Established in 1911 and built on the site of the first pioneer encampment in St. George, Dixie State College of Utah strives to help students to define, shape and achieve educational and life goals. Dixie State College is dedicated to providing personalized and excellent teaching in a learning environment where all students can become passionate about their individual educational endeavors.
In 2005, the Board of Regents approved a change in mission for Dixie State College, allowing the college to begin offering bachelor's degrees in "core" or "foundational" areas consistent with four-year colleges. DSC currently offers nearly 40 baccalaureate programs in highly sought after areas and is continually adding more degree programs to address the demand of students, while continuing to function as a comprehensive community college as well, offering associate degree and certificate programs to its students.
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