In this post, Todd suggests that despite dwindling attendance, a higher-than-average reliance on state funds and a declining population in Carbon County, the Utah State Board of Regents should pay special attention to the College of Eastern Utah to ensure that it survives and thrives into the future because it “could be a gem.”
Apparently the Utah SBR is considering doing something with CEU, whether it be merging it with Snow College or making CEU a campus of USU similar to what USU has in the Uintah Basin, Brigham City and Tooele (which I, by the way, think is a fantastic idea.)
Given unlimited funds and resources would supporting CEU’s continuance as its own school make sense? Absolutely. But these are tough times, and for years, Utah’s System of Higher Education has been out of control with mission creep and mismanaged money (the expansion in the missions of UVSC and Dixie are two examples) and it’s refreshing to see potential for some consolidation.
Sure, keeping CEU alive as it is sounds like the nice thing to do, but we can’t always do what sounds nice, especially these days.
it’s simply return on investment, money spent at a smaller school like ceu gives more return than money spent at a larger school like usu. if you’re looking to make the biggest impact on the state’s university system you would want to spend the money where it would yield the most return right?
Wrong. As a whole, when the fixed (if not shrinking) amount of the state budget going to higher-education continues to be divided among a larger pool of schools, everyone loses.
U of U and USU are, and should be, the state’s flagship institutions of education (as well as BYU…but let’s not go there). You may get more bang for your buck at CEU, but overall, the state suffers greatly.
And again, decisions like this WILL bite Utah in the rear eventually. You have to establish and maintain your educational priorities.
Tyler needs to watch more Mythbusters. They proved that you can polish a turd.