‘Dixie’ name change vote to come next week at Legislature

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah lawmakers are expected to vote on a name change for southern Utah’s Dixie State University next week. Fox13 reports a bill to rename it Utah Technical University will be considered in a special session next week where lawmakers will also vote on redistricting. Republican bill sponsor Rep. Kelly Miles of South Ogden says that after an extensive process of gathering input from the public, he expects the name change to pass. Name-change supporters say Dixie’s associations with the Confederate era and slavery are hurting the school, but the name also has historical local meaning and some are vocally opposed to changing it.