Former CEU president to assess college's viability

In light of the state budget crisis, Commissioner of Higher Education William A. Sederburg announced Tuesday that he has asked Michael Petersen, former president of the College of Eastern Utah, to spend the next 30 days developing a plan for the future viability of the college.

Petersen was CEU president from 1985 to 1996 and currently heads the Utah Education Network. His recommendations will be presented to the State Board of Regents in May.

CEU faces unique challenges because of the potential state budget cut of 17 percent looming in 2011. An average of 88 percent of CEU's budget has been funded by the state over the past 10 years, compared with 63 percent for all of the other state colleges and universities, according to a news release from the Utah System of Higher education.

CEU also faces enrollment challenges as the number of high school graduates in its region peaked in 1998 and has declined by 23 percent since then. The number of high school graduates is projected to decline by another 10 percent over the next 10 years, the news release said.

"Our No. 1 goal is to improve the opportunities for higher education in this region," Sederburg said. "It is clear that in these challenging times, the status quo is not an attractive option, so we must look for new models to make sure that CEU continues to be successful in the future."

Petersen will meet with members of the community, faculty, and staff and then make a recommendation.

One option may be for CEU to become a campus of Utah State University but keep its own identity, with its own athletic teams and performing arts, and in seeking state funding of its operations and buildings.

Another option would see CEU affiliate with Snow College, where the two institutions would share resources to improve educational programs and drive economic efficiencies while remaining separate institutions.

Under either option, CEU would continue its identity as the College of Eastern Utah, its community college mission including open enrollment, skills training and lower tuition than four-year institutions.