OUR VIEW: USU’s outreach a benefit to all
In a somewhat surprising move, USU has formed what is being called an “alliance” with Snow College in Ephraim and the College of Eastern Utah in Price. Unlike typical satellite campuses, the campuses are not being absorbed into USU’s system, but will instead have an easier transition from the two-year degrees offered by the two schools into four-year degrees from USU.
As Utah’s land grant university, USU is supposed to try and make higher education available all over the state. This is a step in that direction. Perhaps someone who would have settled for a two-year degree will now go one step further.
It is also a step toward having USU’s arms reaching into nearly every county in Utah. We’re everywhere.
And we’re coming for you next, BYU.
Really, this could be a great thing, not only for students at Snow and CEU, who won’t have to move to Logan to finish their degrees, but for everyone enrolled at USU. Enrollment will go up, bringing in more money, and the intellectual capital of USU will be increased, as well.
Everyone on campus who has the title “doctor” is a world expert in something. Whether that’s some aspect of particle physics or the history of banjos, it adds to the university’s prestige and knowledge base. Not only will students at these other locations (satellite campuses in the Uintah Basin, Tooele and Brigham City will be participating, too) be able to take classes from professors up here, anyone here can take classes from professors anywhere else. We may not be the most comprehensive university anywhere, but USU’s administrators are sure working on reaching everyone they can.
This is a move that will benefit students all over the state.
We applaud the efforts and creativity of the administrators at USU, CEU and Snow who developed the plan, and we urge students who are currently enrolled at these institutions to take advantage of the opportunities that are arising.
As USU continues to grow, its potential soars, along with the possiblities for its students.