The legislature could vote on January 19, we don’t have much time!
Please share this entire post with all of your own contacts and ask them to send letters to the legislature too!
PLEASE HELP STOP THE NAME CHANGE AT DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY!
Please send an email NOW to EVERY LEGISLATOR in the State of Utah to ask them to vote against the name change at Dixie State University.
We have been told there were issues with the email list we sent out earlier.
There are 2 ways to send:
1) Here is the correct email list and a sample letter to send to the legislators
2) OR CLICK HERE to email ALL legislators at once! (this will open a new window and pre-populate all emails in a new compose email window. Please ensure ad blockers are disabled to get this to work correctly)
We ENCOURAGE you to give your own story and experience and using your own words to state your position to our legislators is best – but if you prefer feel free to send the letter template or to modify it as you see fit.
Be sure to add your name and ZIP CODE at the bottom of the email.
After you have added your name, copy and paste the letter template in the email it to the legislators or write your own.
IMPORTANT: In the subject line of your email, type “KEEP DIXIE at DIXIE STATE!” We suggest sending to 3 to 5 legislators at a time or one by one.
Best,
DSUHC
Saving Utah's Dixie!
HERE IS A SUGGESTED EMAIL TEMPLATE BELOW: SIMPLY COPY AND PASTE INTO YOUR EMAIL:
Dear Legislator:
I am asking you to vote NO to the proposed name change at Dixie State University!
Utah statute says the school was built to serve the students in Washington and Kane Counties. The school was put in place to provide a workforce in Southern Utah. Let us remember who built the school from the ground up. Please do not erase our history and heritage by caving into the cancel culture trend.
DSU has now conducted 3 surveys/studies about the Dixie Name, one in 2013 when the school was named Dixie State University due to overwhelming support for the Dixie Name, another perception study in 2019 in which any negative perception about the name was so small it was measured at less than 1%. Despite these prior studies, DSU Pres Biff Williams authorized an “As Directed” survey to be conducted regarding the word DIXIE and hired the Cicero Group for a cost of $98,500. This survey was biased and underhanded. Questions were worded to bait participants to view Dixie as negative and racist. It is not. The survey was used to bolster Pres. Williams’ plan to change the school’s name.
It is clear that the Cicero report has an agenda – it doesn’t just report statistics because doing so without spin would make it seem that support for the Dixie name is incredibly strong, which it is.
Although Cicero minimizes some of the findings, it is clear that:
1. A Majority of African Americans do not believe Dixie negatively impacts the reputation
2. A Majority of the faculty and staff believe the Dixie name will not negatively impact the University’s reputation
3. 75% of the Southwestern Utah population supports keeping the name
4. 2/3 of prospective students believe Dixie name does not have a negative impact on recruiting
5. In Southwestern Utah, 92% either believe the Dixie name is positive or are neutral on that name (62% say positive)
6. Overwhelming majority favor wearing Dixie apparel.
7. Overwhelming majority of alumni will reduce support if the name is changed.
8. Overwhelming majority of Southwestern Utah residents believe changing the name will have a negative impact on support (71%)
President Williams has turned his back on the very community who welcomed him and his family with open arms when he was selected to be the new president 6 years ago. We want to continue to donate and serve but together we will take a firm stand to pull all support if the name is changed and Dixie is removed. We want to continue to be a major part of the success of Dixie State.
At issue here is the sinister method and approach used by DSU to denigrate and insult the culture and heritage of Utah’s Dixie with their biased survey. They have tried to paint the community as a bunch of uneducated racists. In effect, they had to paint our town an untrue color to try to win this battle.
Pres Williams has spearheaded many positive things at DSU. But, changing the name of DIXIE State will send the university in the wrong direction It's a very bad decision and will divide the community from the school. It could trigger more changes in our area that take us further down the wrong road. Changing the name of the school does nothing to remove racism, it does no good at all.
As a community, we cannot take this insult without a fight. Dixie State is thriving with increased enrollment, even with Covid. The university is receiving all kinds of national awards and honors. The school has enjoyed continued success year after year. Even the powers that rule over the new D1 sports status at DSU say the word Dixie has no negative impact with the school moving forward.
I am asking for your support! Please help us. Honor our community and honor the brave pioneer families who were sent to Southern Utah to be part of the DIXIE COTTON MISSION. Dixie means and represents so much to this community, and is a unifying name for all the communities of Southwestern Utah. For generations it has represented sunshine, warmth, openness, hard work and sacrifice. Please do not bow to those who want to tarnish the meaning of Utah’s Dixie.
Will you stand with us and vote against a name change at Dixie State?
Keep DIXIE in Utah’s Dixie. Keep Dixie at Dixie State.
Sincerely,
Name:
Zip Code
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