USU-College of Eastern Utah
Encyclopedia
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
system. The USU Eastern main campus is located in Price, Utah
Price, Utah
Price is a city in Carbon County, Utah, United States. The city is home to the USU-College of Eastern Utah, as well as the large USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum affiliated with the college. Price is located within short distances from both Nine Mile Canyon and the Manti-La Sal National Forest...
and a satellite location known as the San Juan Campus is located in Blanding, Utah
Blanding, Utah
Blanding is a city in San Juan County, Utah, United States. The population was 3,162 at the 2000 census, making it the most populated city in San Juan County. It was settled in the late 19th century by Mormon settlers, predominantly from the famed Hole-In-The-Rock expedition...
.
USU Eastern, formerly known as College of Eastern Utah (CEU), entered the USU system on July 1, 2010.
History
Carbon College was formed on February 20, 1937 by the State of Utah and classes began in October 1938 with approximately 100 students. The newly formed college faced financial difficulties in 1953 when a budget-cutting measure was proposed to dismantle the college and sell the property. The issue went to the ballot during the election of 1954 with 56,000 petition signatures and a subsequent 78% of the vote to reject such a measure.In 1959, the college was joined with the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
and acted as a branch of the University for 10 years. During the partnership, the campus grew significantly and the college became known as College of Eastern Utah (CEU). During the 1960s, CEU added several new buildings including the Geary Theater, Music Building, Science Center, and Library. In 1969, the Utah System of Higher Education
Utah System of Higher Education
The Utah State Board of Regents was formed in 1969 as a governing body for the Utah System of Higher Education. It is made up of the College of Eastern Utah, Dixie State College of Utah, Salt Lake Community College, Snow College, Southern Utah University, the University of Utah, Utah College of...
was created ending the relationship between the University of Utah and CEU.
During the 1970s, CEU began to focus on the mission of being a vocational-technical school for the community. Degrees were expanded to include welding, automotive mechanics, machine shop, cosmetology, diesel mechanics, and a registered nursing program. CEU expanded courses to be taught at the San Juan Center. After the turn of the century, courses and enrollment began to climb to more than 2,000 students enrolled in more than 400 courses.
In 2010, College of Eastern Utah merged with Utah State University creating Utah State University College of Eastern Utah (USU Eastern). Shortly after the merger, Dr. Joe Peterson
Joe Peterson (educator)
Joe Peterson began serving in the summer of 2010 as the first Chancellor of the Utah State University - College of Eastern Utah.Peterson was born in San Juan County, Utah and raised in Carbon County, Utah. These are the two counties that have USU Eastern campuses. He holds bachelor's and master's...
, a former vice president of instruction at Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake Community College is the largest higher education institution with the most diverse student body in Utah . The College offers and operates throughout the Salt Lake valley. Even with its large student body, the College maintains a student to faculty ratio of just 20 to 1...
, became the school's first chancellor, reporting directly to USU president Stan L. Albrecht
Stan L. Albrecht
Stan LeRoy Albrecht is an American educator, university administrator, and scholar. He has served as the president of Utah State University since 2005.-Biography:...
.
Academics
USU Eastern offers more than 60 degree programs in academic, technical, and vocational fields. The college is separated into four divisions:- Division of Liberal Arts
- Division of Professional & Technical Education
- Division of Science
- Division of Workforce Education
Discipline and degree options include anthropology, criminal justice, museum studies, biology, geology, business, diesel equipment technology, and small business development. USU Regional Campuses and Distance Education provides access to various Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral degrees on site.
USU Eastern operates under an open admissions
Open admissions
Open admissions is a type of unselective and non-competitive college admissions process in the United States in which the only criterion for entrance is a high school diploma or a General Educational Development certificate.This form of "inclusive" admissions is used by many public junior...
policy, meaning that if one applies and had either graduated from high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
or earned a GED
GED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
, he or she was accepted.
Campus
Situated in the center of PricePrice, Utah
Price is a city in Carbon County, Utah, United States. The city is home to the USU-College of Eastern Utah, as well as the large USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum affiliated with the college. Price is located within short distances from both Nine Mile Canyon and the Manti-La Sal National Forest...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, USU Eastern's main campus is set on about 12 acres (4.9 ha) and is surrounded by geological and recreational features including the San Rafael Swell
San Rafael Swell
The San Rafael Swell is a large geologic feature located in south-central Utah, USA about 30 miles west of Green River, Utah. The San Rafael Swell, approximately by , consists of a giant dome-shaped anticline of sandstone, shale, and limestone that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide...
, Arches National Park
Arches National Park
Arches National Park is a U.S. National Park in eastern Utah. It is known for preserving over 2000 natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch, in addition to a variety of unique geological resources and formations....
, Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park is a U.S. National Park located in southeastern Utah near the town of Moab and preserves a colorful landscape eroded into countless canyons, mesas and buttes by the Colorado River, the Green River, and their respective tributaries. The park is divided into four districts:...
, and the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry. USU Eastern is also home to an accredited museum, the renowned USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum.
In 2011, Utah State University received a confidential gift of 25 acres near the USU Eastern campus, nearly tripling the size of the campus. The estimated value for the donation exceeds $4 million. The City of Price and USU have already been working on the USU Energy and Education Research Park just west of the donated parcel of land.
Athletics
USU Eastern competes athletically as the Eastern Utah Golden Eagles and is the only campus in the USU system to have its own athletics program. The Golden Eagles are a member of the Scenic West Athletic ConferenceScenic West Athletic Conference
The Scenic West Athletic Conference is a sports association for junior colleges located in Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and Nevada...
(SWAC) and the National Junior College Athletic Association
National Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
(NJCAA). The Bunnell Dmitrich Athletic Center serves as a venue for many of the athletic events.
The Golden Eagles compete in men's baseball and basketball and women's basketball and volleyball. There is one club sport, soccer, and several intramural sports such as ultimate frisbee, flag football, and volleyball.
Student Life
The student body of USU Eastern is governed by the Eastern Utah Student Association (EUSA). Every student at USU Eastern is a voting member of the EUSA, and has an equal voice in all decisions made by the student government. EUSA is an active due paying member of the Utah Student Association and the EUSA student body president is the voting member that attends those meetings. EUSA provides events, services, and a positive voice for the students.One of the most notable aspects of campus itself is Gibby, a large spirit rock located near the student center. A small plaque near the rock explains its purpose and history. Students are allowed to paint Gibby whenever they desire, and it is often repainted nearly every week with announcements, ads, and art.