I am writing to encourage you to support removing the word "Dixie" from Dixie State University's (DSU) name.

As you know, the Cicero group's study clearly demonstrates having the word Dixie in the university's name causes issues for students and faculty alike. Unfortunately, outside of Utah, the word Dixie has a negative association with the traitorous, slaveholding Confederacy. The name affects employment opportunities for DSU graduates as well as creates the impression that DSU is a "joke" university among faculty and staff from other institutes of higher education. Further, I know some faculty have lost out on grants, because the grant sponsors did not want the word Dixie associated with the grant.

There are many other reasons to support the name change, but it seems to me most of our state representatives and senators would be most concerned with the negative financial impact of the Dixie name on our students and faculty.

Best,

Mark LaVoie

Chair and Assistant Professor of Media Studies

Dixie State University