Dixie State College Becomes A University

By Amy Nay
(KUTV) Utah has a brand new university to boast. And Governor Gary Herbert's doing just that. The governor was in St. George at the Eccles Fine Arts Center Saturday where he signed the bill making Dixie State College Dixie State University.
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"I'm very proud of this moment," said the Governor to a standing room only crowd, "This is a great day for the entire state of Utah. It shows
growth in our great state and our improved quality of life. It also shows how important education is for our future."
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A rousing rendition of the school song broke out during the Governor's comments, led by St. George Mayor Daniel MacArthur.

Some of the words as follows: If you're from Santa Clara, Washington or St. George, fine. Anything below the Iron County line. Then, you're from Dixie. HURRAH for Dixie. I'm from Dixie too!

"What a great day for Dixie!," Mayor MacArthur says the lyrics fit so well with Saturday's event with its unifying words mentioning all the communities positively impacted by the school. The Mayor says those boundaries should now be expanded, "Now that we're a university, we're universal!"
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"What a thrill to be part of something that's really significant for the community," President Stephen Nadauld told 2News, "Something so many people have been looking forward to for so long.

He says the school has already grown, adding nearly two dozen bachelor's degrees, 61 faculty positions and a nearly 53 percent student increase.

He says they'll continue in that direction, with plans to add new master's degrees and more. "We'll be a major force in Utah and a huge, huge force in this region."

Speakers thanked Utah's pioneers who persevered to settle this region, saying Saturday's historic signing was some 150 years in the making.
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There was no mention of any of the controversy over the name Dixie. In the weeks and months leading up to the school getting its university status, the name has been debated.

Students raised concerns about the possible racist connotations Dixie may have - often affiliated with the South and slavery.

But major donors spoke out in favor of the name, threatening to pull their support if it changed. Community members made their voices heard and last month, the school?s board of trustees voted unanimously to retain the name despite its controversial associations with the Southern Confederacy.

This week at the state capitol, a brief debate was held in the House of Representatives, but the bill HB61 passed. It went on to the Senate where it passed, as well. With Governor Herbert's signature Saturday morning, it's now official - Dixie State University.

(Copyright 2013 Sinclair Broadcasting Group)

Dixie State College Becomes A University

Source: http://kutv.com/news/top-stories/stories/dixie-state-college-becomes-university-3875.shtml?wap=0

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