Lawmakers approve university status, name change for Dixie State

Greene said the name was far removed from the notion of slavery and added that by voting for the bill, lawmakers were not adding "Dixie" to the name but merely preserving something that had been in place and loved for decades.

"The term Dixie, the history of Dixie, whether in this state or in the Old South is so much more than that scourge on our nation's history," he said. "There's so much pride and heritage that goes along with that, and those are the things we should be focusing on."

Herbert will sign the bill at 9 a.m. Saturday on the Dixie State campus, school officials said. The terms of the bill, including the change of the institution's name, will take effect immediately following his signature.

"This is great news for the people of southern Utah, our students and higher education," Herbert said in a prepared statement. "The more opportunities we provide for people to advance their education, the more likely we will be to reach our essential goal — that 66 percent of Utah's working-age adults will have a degree or postsecondary certificate by the year 2020."

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