State Representative Introduces Bill To Change Name Of Dixie State University

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah lawmaker has introduced a bill to change the name of Dixie State University in St. George.

Republican Kelly B. Miles sponsored HB0278, which would require a process for university and state leaders to select and recommend a new name for the school.

The Dixie State Board of Trustees in December voted to remove “Dixie” from the institution’s name, citing polling information that found many people associate “Dixie” with the Confederacy and the South.

“Our responsibility is to ensure our students gain the ‘active learning. active life.’ experience that is paramount to a Dixie State University education and prepares them for continued success. To foster this, it is crucial that our institution’s name reflects the quality education DSU offers,” Tiffany Wilson, DSU Trustee and alumna, said. “As an open-enrollment public university, we are committed to helping our students thrive and creating an institutional name that thrives alongside them.”

According to the same polling, 22% of DSU graduates who sought work outside of Utah had potential employers express concern over the name of the university on their resume.

Many residents in St. George are against the move, though. A petition was created over the summer calling for “Dixie” to remain in the university’s title, and one alumna even created a crowdfunding campaign to keep the name as-is. 

The university won’t be the only high-profile entity to drop “Dixie” from its title. Intermountain Healthcare this year changed the name of its hospital in St. George from the Dixie Regional Medical Center to the St. George Regional Hospital River Road.