UVSC needs own identity, Sederburg says

OREM — Utah Valley State College needs to craft its own identity, said school president William Sederburg during his State of the College address on Tuesday.

Sederburg's statement was intended as a clarification of a remark he made during the controversy that surrounded the invitation of filmmaker Michael Moore to speak at the college in October. Responding to questions about the invitation of the outspoken anti-Bush filmmaker, Sederburg said he didn't want UVSC to be Brigham Young University (referring to conservative, LDS Church-owned BYU in Provo).

"I think because I'm not LDS, there was concern about that," Sederburg said, noting he was talking about creating a unique identity that would set UVSC apart from not only BYU but the University of Utah and other state colleges and universities.

Sederburg emphasized UVSC recognizes the importance of faith in students' lives but also stressed the need for academic freedom. Faculty and administration must uphold academic freedom while showing respect for the opinions of others, he said.

Sederburg appointed a campus and community task force to examine the tensions between the community and school following the Moore visit.

During Tuesday's address, he read part of a letter from the office of the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that was drafted Jan. 26 and received at UVSC on Tuesday prior to Sederburg's speech.

"President (Gordon B.) Hinckley appreciates your efforts to provide a rich and positive learning environment for the students who attend this fine institution," he quoted the letter as saying.

Sederburg knows 2004 at UVSC will be remembered for the Moore controversy, but hopes people will recognize other school efforts, many related to UVSC's booming growth.

"Everybody got to express themselves," Sederburg said. "I don't think we have anything to be embarrassed about."

Sederburg — whose speech was themed "A Value Oriented University" — did not duck from the on-going anger that reverberates from Moore's October visit, which sparked debate in the community over whether the school's values should reflect those of Utah County. Moore's invitation ultimately was followed by an invitation to conservative radio host Sean Hannity to speak at the school as a show of pre-election balance.

In addressing the growth that has continued unabated during his first 20-months at the helm, Sederburg noted that in 1995, there were 14,041 students at UVSC. Students numbered 24,149 during the past fall semester.