"This is a very big public relations issue and has the potential to have a big impact on our supporter base," he said. "We have people saying they are going to pull Dixie State College out of their wills and quit supporting it because of this (name change)."

According to the U.'s petition letter, keeping the name "Dixie" in any way other than as a reference to the "Dixie campus" would "prove fatal" to the success of the affiliation proposal. Long-held traditions that showcase the college's heritage, such as whitewashing the "D" on the hill in St. George, would remain, however. The school's nickname, the "Rebels," also would be mothballed under the plan.

"We were told this was a local issue and now it's in this letter," said Jennifer Shakespeare, president of the Associated Students of Dixie State College, who also is a member of the trustee board. "This was supposed to be a work in progress."

Regent Jerry Atkin suggested the Dixie board of trustees discuss the issues of governance and name of the college in more depth at a later time.

"There's no pressure from the regents to push this," Atkin said, "if there's not a pretty good concurrence then this is not going to happen."

Dixie State College President Lee Caldwell said the discussion had been hijacked to some degree by the specifics that still need to be determined by the task force.

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E-mail: nperkins@desnews.com