OREM — Utah Valley State College last week took the message about its push to become a university to about 250,000 homes with newspaper inserts.

The school, which is seeking university status through legislation, published inserts that were distributed in the Deseret Morning News, The Salt Lake Tribune, The Provo Daily Herald and The Wasatch Wave.

The printing cost UVSC $30,000. Advertising inside the inserts covered the cost, said UVSC spokeswoman Megan Laurie.

The school is asking for $10 million annually in additional money from the Utah Legislature for university status.

The money will be used to hire faculty and start graduate programs, UVSC President Bill Sederburg has said in the past.

The insert, which contained articles about distinguished people in Utah County who want UVSC to become a university and about the academic programs at UVSC, was intended to educate the public, Laurie said.

"I think in general, you know, the community members (and) the citizens of the state have had a lot of questions about what's going on here, and we wanted to make sure everybody knew," Laurie said.

At a recent meeting with members of the college's governing Board of Trustees, Val Hale, UVSC vice president of marketing and communications, said he believed it would "have a pretty big impact when people see it."

"We've been working with Sen. (John) Valentine to find the best time to do this," he said.

The insert ran in the three daily papers Feb. 12 — the same day the Valentine's bill, SB70, was introduced in the House of Representatives.

SB70, sponsored by the Orem Republican, changes the college's name to university and provides the additional $10 million in annual funding.

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E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com