Dixie State University will not be Dixie State University much longer.
The committee tasked with exploring a name change has come back with a 13-3 in favor of changing the 109-year-old university's name.
"The university is working very hard to become the nation’s first and only open, inclusive, comprehensive, polytechnic university, which will offer students from southern Utah and beyond unique active learning opportunities to prepare for the in-demand careers of their dreams," Julie Beck, DSU Board of Trustee member and chair of the Name Recommendation Committee, said in a statement Monday. "An institutional name that will not only highlight this academic mission but also distinguish the university on a statewide level will better support the aspirations of our students, alumni, faculty and staff."
As we explained last time, the Dixie name does have connotations to the Old South, but it's confusing most of all. To prospective student or athlete, Dixie brings to mind Mississippi, Alabama and the like, not Southwest Utah.
On top of ditching the Dixie name, the committee also ruled out names referencing Deseret, Red Rock or St. George. The common thought back in February was that Dixie State would become St. George University, named after the university's hometown, but the committee felt that would imply the school is a religious institution.
When you've spent more than a century with one confusing name, it doesn't make sense to then jump to another.
And on that front, the school soon-to-be-formerly-known-as-Dixie State will lean into its polytechnic roots for the new name. According to Fox 13 in Salt Lake City, the new name is expected to be something like this:
Utah Technological University, Utah University of Technology & Arts, Utah University of Technology & Humanities, Utah Polytechnic University, Utah Institute of Technology and Utah University of Technology
No one asked me, but I'd go with Utah Poly. Utah Tech sounds like a faceless opponent on a fictional Netflix college football show. There are a lot of Techs out there and very few Polys.
A new name could be brought to DSU trustees as soon as next month, but it would not be approved by the Utah legislature until next year.
In the meantime, Dixie State athletics will move to Division I in 2021-22. The Trailblazers' first football schedule includes perennial FCS powers like Weber State, South Dakota State and Delaware, plus new WAC bunk mate and defending national champion Sam Houston.
And while we're here, let's once again bask in the "Hurry up and clean the house, the guests will be here soon!" energy of this entire video.