Outline of MOU changes approved at Regents
Utah State University – College of Eastern Utah is a fairly large title for such a small college. However, this new name is only one of several changes that are coming to CEU’s campus pending legislation by the Utah Legislature.
Last month the Board of Regents approved the laborious Memorandum of Understanding. According to Deseret News writer Wendy Leonard, “It’s a process that has taken more than a year and five committees and task forces to finalize, but regents voted unanimously Friday to accept a memorandum of understanding written to lead the charge.”
This archived article was written by: Devin Bybee
Utah State University – College of Eastern Utah is a fairly large title for such a small college. However, this new name is only one of several changes that are coming to CEU’s campus pending legislation by the Utah Legislature.
Last month the Board of Regents approved the laborious Memorandum of Understanding. According to Deseret News writer Wendy Leonard, “It’s a process that has taken more than a year and five committees and task forces to finalize, but regents voted unanimously Friday to accept a memorandum of understanding written to lead the charge.”
The MOU outlines policy procedures of the upcoming merger with USU. As reported by the Associated Press, “USU will issue the school’s degrees and select its chancellor. But the schools will retain separate athletic programs, school colors and mascots.” Countless people were relieved to hear that the athletic program was not dismissed.
Furthermore, Brian Maffly of the Salt Lake Tribune stated that “CEU students will become Utah State students. But those taking lower division courses will pay lower community college tuition, while upper division students will pay university tuition.”
An article in the Cache Valley Citizen, “Regents Board Member Teresa Theurer of Logan says plans call for CEU to become a comprehensive regional college under USU’s direction and the new name will be “Utah State University–College of Eastern Utah.”
The article continued, “Unlike other regional campuses, CEU will have its own chancellor, under USU, and will also keep its own sports teams. Theurer says there are positives for both sides with the merger, which was initiated in response to CEU’s shrinking enrollment and increasing dependence on state money.”
Therefore, the only obstacle that these changes face is legislation this year. According to Brad King, vice president of institutional advancement, “the Legislature begins Jan. 25th. The bill has yet to be finalized and will be presented first in the Senate Education Committee. The schedule for the hearings will be determined by the chair of that committee. CEU will be notified of those schedules as the legislative session unfolds.”
The last time King talked to House of Representative’s Patrick Painter, R-District 67; he told him that Sen. David Hinkins, R-District 27; was going to start it in the Senate and that he would be the House sponsor.
If passed in legislation, the merger and associated changes will take place July 1, 2010. Eagle staff members picked their best of CEU
