Press Release

CEU's Future Is a "Continuum of Education for Utah"

March 26, 2007

Blanding, Utah -College of Eastern Utah (CEU) President Ryan Thomas delivered an optimistic message about the College's future to its Board of Trustees Monday morning.

The President played on the CEU acronym by calling the College's enhanced mission a "Continuum of Education for Utah." The passage of House Bill 371 merged the College of Eastern Utah with the Southeast Applied Technology College (SEATC). Other legislation appropriated $1 million to CEU to form partnerships with Utah State University to offer four-year degrees in Business, Education and Natural Resources.

"We are excited for the upcoming year as we restore our comprehensive community college mission and extend our partnership with Utah State University. When residents of Eastern Utah want post-secondary services from basic work skills to four year degrees, CEU will be their one-stop shop," the President said.

Programs offered by CEU and SEATC at high schools in Carbon, Emery, Grand and San Juan counties will continue as before while new and expanded programs are developed. CEU will restructure its current administration to include an executive level position that will provide outreach services to industry, the community, local school districts and state agencies such as Workforce Services and Vocational Rehabilitation. . "The merger gives us a chance to have a single face with local school districts and state agencies that need educational services while allowing faculty to expand their teaching roles to meet unique needs" Thomas said.

HB 371 won't take effect until July 1 but plans are already under way to make the legal merger a physical reality as well. "As the summer progresses, we will look to find the best available space for our faculty and staff on the Price Campus," said SEATC President Miles Nelson.

President Thomas emphasized that the merger creates expanded educational opportunities in Eastern Utah. "We are in the process of meeting with community leaders and educational stakeholders to get input and suggestions on what the community needs from the College," he said.

Current planning is looking at the broader structure of CEU as it aligns itself to meet the needs of a diverse community. "Right now we know a few things for certain: we have plenty of needs on campus that this merger will address - no one will lose their job or rate of pay as the merger unfolds," said Kevin Walthers, Vice-President for Finance at CEU.

CEU Provost Mike King added that faculty are excited by the new opportunities created by the merger and partnership. "We have faculty who would love to teach in USU's upper division programs and we have faculty who want to fill part of their teaching load in the non-credit programs that we will offer. This really allows us to streamline academic programs and create the continuum that the President is seeking," King said.

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