Name change forum, Dixie State College encourages public input on university transition

ST. GEORGE – As part of the effort to identify a new university identity and brand of Dixie State College of Utah, the institution and Sorenson Advertising will host a special university-naming community forum on Nov. 29 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Community Arts Center on 86 South Main Street.

The forum is free and open for DSC students, faculty, staff, alumni and and all members of the public to attend.

In October, DSC announced a partnership with the St. George firm of Sorenson Advertising 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 DSC into its second century and beyond.

Over the past several weeks, DSC and Sorenson Advertising have engaged all institutional stakeholders in one-on-one interviews, focus groups and public forums in an effort to establish the new institutional identity. Earlier this month, a comprehensive online quantitative questionnaire was launched.

For more information on the name change process, please contact the DSC Public Relations Office at 435-652-7544 or online.

Event details and contact information

Date: Nov. 29

Time: 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Location: Community Arts Center, 86 South Main Street, St. George

Admission: Free

Contact: DSC Public Relations Office – 435-652-7544

Submitted by: Dixie State College of Utah

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

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10 Comments

  • william November 20, 2012 at 1:31 pm

    The first Europeans to see the river were Fathers Escalante and Dominguez on the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition not the Mormans settlers. Their route became the Old Spanish Trail. When they arrived on the upper Virgin River watershed on October 14, 1776, they encountered Southern Paiute farmers who greeted them with ears of corn. Because the land was verdant, (hard to find) Father Escalante called the area “Dixie.”

  • Damie November 21, 2012 at 10:30 am

    William, that’s not possible as the term Dixie postdates that expedition. Verdant means green or unripe, not “hard to find.”. If the Spanish were calling something green they would have used the word Verde, not Dixie.

    • william November 21, 2012 at 1:51 pm

      Santa Clara River (Utah) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Clara_River_(Utah)Cached
      You +1’d this publicly. Undo
      Because the land was verdant, Father Escalante called the area “Dixie.” So it Predate the morman Setters.

      • Dghws November 22, 2012 at 9:48 pm

        Wikipedia is hardly a primary source and although someone from Salt Lake was cited, does not necessarily make it so. You might want to look at the use of Utah’s “Dixie” as related to the pioneer cotton mission and a reference to the southern states.

        You can read more at: http://www.utahsdixie.com/saint_george.html

        “In October 1861, church leaders called 309 families to establish the Cotton Mission. After the outbreak of the Civil War that same year, LDS Church President Brigham Young felt it necessary to grow cotton, if possible. Many of these families assigned to settle the area hailed from the South and possessed the necessary skills to grow cotton and establish a community. Paying homage to the nickname of their former home, these settlers called the region “Utah’s Dixie.”

        or, http://www.utahsdixie.info/whydixie.html

  • Gunther November 22, 2012 at 12:34 pm

    How about we call it- Southwest Corner of Utah almost not part of the State University

  • Greg November 22, 2012 at 7:54 pm

    Just call it NIU. No identity university. I agree that the college should not have a rebel as a mascot with the name dixie. But since they are no longer the rebels, then the dixie name should stay. If it really was offensive, then why are there any black player on the sports teams? It must not be THAT offensive to them since they are not the ones that were enslaved.

  • Gunther November 22, 2012 at 7:58 pm

    Yes that name suggestion does sound stupid. However, it’s in the same catergory of ridiculousness as removing the Rebel name from sports and possibly removing the Dixie name from the name change to University status.

  • Mel Johnson November 23, 2012 at 5:40 am

    Dixie College satisfied my class of 1972, but perception changes with time and experience. Southwest Utah University and St George State University sound right to me.

    • Annettie Cannavale November 23, 2012 at 1:32 pm

      I love Southwest Utah University! Also University of St. George.

      • Bebo November 25, 2012 at 6:28 am

        SUU? Wouldn’t that be a little confusing?

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