Southern Utah University (Utah)

Begun as a branch college in 1897, Southern Utah began offering four-year degrees in 1965. The university provides a broad program of undergraduate liberal and professional education and is a primary center for service and cultural programs designed to advance the southern Utah area. The college achieved university status on January 1, 1991 and some selected masters programs are also available.

In 1965, the Utah State Legislature gave the College of Southern Utah independent status and provided for a separate governing body, the Board of Trustees (known as an Institutional Council, 1969-1990). The Board is the primary policy making body for the university under the direction of the state board of higher education and is charged with the "government of the college and management of its property and affairs." The Board of Trustees facilitates communication between the institution and community; assists in planning, implementing, and executing fund raising and development projects aimed at supplementing institutional appropriations; perpetuates and strengthens alumni and community identification with the institution's tradition and goals; and selects recipients of honorary degrees. Implementation of the basic functions of the college is administered by a president, a president's council, the dean's council, the faculty senate, and the faculty.

Begun as a branch of the State Normal School (University of Utah) in 1897, the college became a branch of the Agricultural College (Utah State University) in 1913 (Laws of Utah 1913, ch. 31, pp. 41-42). The college became administratively independent in 1965 (Laws of Utah, 1965, ch. 99 pp. 287-291) and was renamed the College of Southern Utah and authorized to confer four-year baccalaureate degrees (Laws of Utah, 1965, ch. 100, pp. 291-292). In 1969, the college was renamed Southern Utah State College (SUSC) (Laws of Utah 1969 ch. 151, p. 619). In 1990, with the offering of some graduate programs, the institution was again renamed as Southern Utah University (SUU) and was given university status effective 1 January 1991 (Laws of Utah 1990, ch. 13, pp. 30-31). To achieve its purposes, SUU is organized into five resident colleges with 16 departments and a Division of Continuing Education.