UVSC's name recognition growing

OREM — Utah Valley State College's name recognition seems to have grown as a result of its rapid enrollment growth and the brouhaha surrounding last year's campus visits by filmmaker Michael Moore and conservative talk-show host Sean Hannity.

According to a poll conducted for the school by Dan Jones & Associates, 6 percent of residents across the Wasatch Front mentioned the school's expansion and development when asked, "When you think of Utah Valley State College, what words come to mind?"

To the same question, 3 percent said they recalled the appearances by Moore, who directed the anti-Bush administration documentary, "Fahrenheit 9/11."

In fact, 96 percent of the people polled said they were aware of the controversy surrounding the decision to ask Moore to speak at the college. Fifty-five percent of the Utah County respondents said the controversy hurt the college's standing in the community.

In addition, 64 percent of Utah Valley residents polled said the environment at UVSC is becoming too liberal — and 57 percent of those respondents said that was a negative thing.

The pollster asked a variety of questions about colleges and universities throughout Utah — and specific questions about UVSC. College chiefs plan to commission a similar poll every two years.

Among other issues that popped up as a result of the poll is that while UVSC's name recognition is improving overall, the number of Utahns who know about the breadth of the Orem school's four-year degree programs hasn't gone up at all.

Ninety-three percent of Utah residents said in July that they had heard of UVSC, up from 79 percent in a poll two years ago. But 49 percent of Utah residents were aware that UVSC offers bachelor's degrees. And that's the same percentage of people who knew about the four-year degree programs in 2003, UVSC spokesman Derek Hall said.

Among Utah County residents, 74 percent were aware of the school's degree offerings.

Hall said that UVSC has tried to reach out to the community, which may also have increased awareness of the school.

Hall said he was disappointed because the school has tried to promote the school's four-year programs through billboards, television and radio advertisements.

This year, UVSC's marketing department received about $125,000 from the school's budget to promote the school.