Dixie State is no stranger to conversations about re-branding the university. Now, amidst the intense national conversation about racial injustice, university spokesperson Jordon Sharp said campus officials are considering a permanent name change.
“We are listening heavily. And what that means is that we’re gathering information, we’re monitoring, and we’re just trying to see how does this impact, primarily our students, our faculty, our staff, and our community,” Sharp said.
The Dixie State Faculty Senate hosted a meeting this summer where they voted in favor of a name change.
But it’s up to the State Legislature to make a final decision, once the university has provided them with input from the campus community. Sharp said they plan to bring in a consultant to assess the impact of the name.
“We’re not even asking them so much like ‘should we change it,’ it’s more, you know, what are the impacts if we keep it good and bad and how does it impact different stakeholders,” Sharp said.
Local community members and alumni have spoken out against a name change, while some staff and current students support the idea.
The Dixie State University Marketing team said students, staff and community members can provide their feedback as to whether the school should change its name by going to UMAC.dixie.edu.
