By Jules Lindgren
As Utah Valley State College continues to push toward becoming a university, BYU has little to fear in terms of losing its UVSC transfer population.
Over the last ten years the number of students transferring between UVSC and BYU has remained fairly constant, ranging from around 130 to 230 students a year.
?We haven?t seen much variation,? said Carri Jenkins, assistant to the president with university communications at BYU. ?There?s really been quite a constant range.?
Whether or not that would change if UVSC becomes a university is still up for questioning, she said.
?It?s something we would have to look at when the time comes,? Jenkins said.
The student population at UVSC has grown from 13,509 full-time students in 2000 to 16,080 this year. Derek Hall, assistant vice-president of marketing communications at UVSC, said the increase has to do with offering more and more four-year degrees. He also said more students are choosing to stay on UVSC campus.
?Our transfer rate has been dropping as we add more and more four year degrees,? Hall said.
He expects with the addition of a master?s degree that number would continue to decrease as more students choose to stay at UVSC to finish their education.
The criterion for university status varies from state to state, as decided by the Board of Regents. In Utah, university status is established with the offering of one or more graduate degrees.
Hall said one topic of discussion is what type of degree they are going to start with. Education, business and nursing are all strong programs that could easily add a Master?s program, he said, but they are evaluating the market to see what niche UVSC could fill.
?We don?t want to offer an MBA just like everyone else,? Hall said.
The state has hired evaluators to look at the campus this fall, and more public discussion should begin sometime next spring or summer, Hall said.
Some of the issues the state is taking into consideration are whether or not Utah needs another state university and the financial issues involved — growing up isn?t cheap.
?On the other hand, there is obviously a need,? said Megan Laurie, assistant director of communications at UVSC.
She cited the increase in student population, and the huge response to increases in the number of four-year degrees as some indicators of the need to continue expanding.
This is not a decision, or a transition that will be made overnight, Laurie said. But, they are still talking about it.
In the future, we may see Utah Valley State University, but for right now, ?we are not dropping the college,? Laurie said.
