The new Science, Engineering and Technology building is currently being built. Due to the increase of students on campus, the university administration is developing plans to expand the campus and accommodate for the growth. Photo by Misha Mosiichuk.
The Dixie State University administration is adding more useful features to campus that will better accommodate students’ needs given the recently increased student enrollment.
Parking on campus
Darlene Dilley, associate provost for enrollment management, said the DSU administration has plans to expand parking on campus and will do so in order to serve the increased number of students commuting to campus.
“Ultimately, our plan is to tear down the WEDU building and create some parking in that area as well,” Dilley said. “With the new Science, Engineering and Technology building opening, there will be some shuffling of departments, and the WEDU will come down with the College of Education moving into the new building.”
Classes being held at the WEDU building will be transferred to the new Science, Engineering and Technology building opening soon.
Dilley also said more parking has been added at Atwood Innovation Plaza and will continue to further develop as the year progresses.
Desert Color Property
Dilley said another thing to accommodate increased student growth is outlined in DSU’s strategic plan announced in the fall 2020 semester.
“One thing we have been talking about and was a part of [DSU’s] strategic plan is the acquisition of land, or what we’re calling the Desert Color Property,” Dilley said. “We have a goal to get that purchased and integrated into our campus master plan by 2025.”
The idea of adding this piece of land to campus is currently awaiting legislative approval, Dilley said.
“Ultimately, the goal is to develop that land and make it become an additional piece of our campus,” Dilley said. “There is a lot of discussion about that area becoming a site dedicated to industry [and] technology; hopefully, with our new strategic plan being focused on the polytechnic [and] STEM initiatives, it will reflect those efforts.”
Director of Development Ken Beazer said with several new buildings being implemented on DSU’s small space of land — such as the second phase of Campus View Suites, the Human Performance Center, and the Science, Engineering and Technology building — it has become essential to devise a plan to expand campus somehow.
“With these additions to campus, not only is it important for me to do my job to engage and solicit donations, but there also needs to be a way to purchase more land to incorporate an addition to campus,” Beazer said.
The Desert Color Property is positioned on the southern end of St. George near St. George Regional Airport.
Heightening the freshmen experience
Sarah Vandermark, senior associate provost for academic success, is leading new initiatives with freshman orientation and the Trailblazer Connections course to help freshmen experience the initial excitement of college and new opportunities.
“All freshmen will be able to experience in-person orientation, all the events during ‘Welcome Week,’ First-Year Friday, and their Trailblazer Connections class,” Dilley said. “It will be an exciting time for them as we are expecting another large freshmen class to come this fall.”
Dilley said the DSU admissions team will also incorporate separate events and orientation days for college transfers heading to DSU in the fall.
“We know transfers are a huge part of our incoming class, so we want to ensure they have a great experience on-boarding and beginning at DSU as well,” Dilley said.
Dilley said one thing that draws prospective freshmen or college transfers to DSU is the smaller class sizes, which will remain the same despite student growth.
“We know it’s important to add more learning spaces for our students, and creating more class room and office spaces will allow us to keep that small class size everyone loves about DSU,” Dilley said.
As student enrollment continues to grow and accommodations are made for DSU students, Jyl Hall, director of public relations, said the University Marketing and Communication team will continue to build informative webpages, emails and print material to ensure the DSU community is informed of new plans happening around campus.
“University Marketing and Communication will continue to communicate with prospective and current students to keep them informed of campus updates,” Hall said.
