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Show WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 - DIXIESUNNEINS.COM 27, 201? rams, buildings revealed at st te of be University Address NOW ir TO d'' fI ll ,4 I , ' , , ,oso.owmoo..0.,t,,o2dat 2, 4 - ' ; . , I I i ( .j I , c - , I 1 ) t h 111.1, , r r 1, .4' .: i , '', ?. i ,11014,064414, 0 u 0.01,,,..,... g14.",4 -, ,, c ! 1 41 A ' , ir . I i I 1 Vj l' i: . , 1 I 1 -' - ,, I ,, 1 .,. 1 01,4.: ? 1 n ' f 7 al 1 ; .. NN I ,, , - 1 : I ''' ,,,, w, . C i f fa .... u DIXIE SUN NEWS H( share statistics with the crowd. Dixie State University has hired several more staff stt From left, Michele Tisdale and Jonathan Morrell, staff association and faculty, and has increased the female leadership percentage to 35 percent. Members of Dixie State University faculty and staff sing the national anthem to kick an the annual State of University Address Sept. 20 in the Cox Auditorium. President Richard "Biff" Williams discussed the progression of the University that has occum an in the last year and the plans to continue the progression through this year. re( ' ''',k, BY ERIN HAKODA illEssimalemakkOMMEM ''' DSU, Williams said. erinhakoda Markee Heckenliable, Editor-in-Chi- Ryann HeinieR News Editor Alexis McClain, Sports Editor Taylor Lewis, Features Editor Emma van Lent, Opinion Editor Spencer Ricks, Multimedia Editor Kylea Custer, Photo Editor Hai lee Hodgson, Social Media Editor Hanna Pollock, Copy Editor Hai lee Hodgson, Ad Manager Camden Bennett Trey Davis Hakoda Jonathan Holland Adriana Hymas Erin Grant Jones Vanessa Manual Rhiannon Bent, Adviser The Dixie Sun News is distributed each Wednesday during fall and spring semesters as a publication of Dixie State University, the communication department, and Dixie State University Student Activities. DSU administrators do not approve or censor content. The student editorial staff alone determines its news coverage. The unsigned editorial on the opinion page represents the position of Dixie Sun News as determined by its editorial board. Otherwise, the views and opinions expressed in Dixie Sun News are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Dixie Sun News or any entity of the university. CORRECTIONS Corrections from Sept. 20 issue: DSU women's volleyball lost to California Baptist University. ar th a. ,q ,.. , Si ' . ,,k, , ,, , i , çA. ', A .... t o A01164 -- , ' m ,I ' .7., ,.. N - T 471s, die C ,, ... , Dixie State University's President Richard B. Williams evaluated progress and looked at the future of DSU's strategic plan during his annual State of the University Address Sept. 20. Williams overviewed DSU's strategic plan, Dixie 2020: Status to Stature. The plan has been in effect since 2015 and encompasses six goals, which upon completion, are meant to shape DSU's institutional image. Williams said DSU is over halfway to reaching its goals. "We have implemented this plan for two years; we thought the first year was just an incredible amount of progress," Williams said. "But you'll see today that we've made even more progress during the second year, and that is due to a total commitment from our campus." He noted DSU's progress from 2007 to 2017 by acknowledging the approximate 9,700 students currently at the university, which is about a 4,000 head increase in 10 years. Faculty and staff numbers have grown as well by over 1,000 employees. DSU had just nine degrees, but today it offers 38 bachelor's degree programs. These new degree programs open doors to students who can now pursue their field of choice at Goal one: Student success The first goal of the strategic plan is to promote student success and boost retention and completion rates. DSU established a new Health and Counseling Center with a new director, and for e the first time, a mental health professional on staff. Williams also mentioned students are entering DSU better prepared for college. Thirty-tw- o percent more students with a high school GPA of 3.75 or higher were admitted this year than last. The next step toward achieving goal one, Williams said, is to restructure the First Year Experience courses, which are meant to help freshmen with the adjustment to college. They will also be full-tim- g developing a course on Canvas. A top priority of the plan is to focus on student retention. faculty-trainin- Goal two: Academic programs The addition of new academic programs through goal two will aid with retention. It will also help with recruitment and growth of the student body. The aim is to increase the number of bachelor's degree programs to 42, and introduce three master's programs in Accountancy, Software Development and Genetic Counseling. From 2016 to 2017, seven new baccalaureate degrees were added, and bachelor's programs in Mechanical Engineering, Arts Production, Design, Applied & Computational Mathematics and Music Performance are under works. Student Body President Ezra Hainsworth, a senior communication major from St. George, said he is confident DSU's enrollment will either reach or be extremely close to the goal of 15,000 students by 2020. "We are having better retention with more degrees, especially with the new master's programs that will be implemented in the next year or two," Hainsworth said. "We'll be able to maintain our students and grow because of how new and exciting all of this growth is." As a student ambassador, Olivia Lee, a junior media studies major from Las Vegas, plays a part in the recruitment process. When she visits high schools to recruit freshmen, Lee said she sees an excitement and eagerness to learn about DSU from students. "It's awesome how eager people are to come to St. George, to come to Dixie and to see these things," Lee said. "All of the efforts that are put in and all of the plans we're going through really are working." Mother key factor in goal two is the expansion of campus. There are two new buildings in the works, the Human Performance Center, which is already in the planning phase, i.eiontelnandilimeloomb.,,AadiemiMkrod.Alaw.ellikologollidsOneEMMEINimat and the Science, Engineering, and Technology Building, which has been rated No. 1 for need by the board of has also occuDSU regents. pied the old East Elementary campus, which is now called Innovation Plaza. "Not only is the Human Performance Center great academically, but recreationally as well," Hainsworth said. "Students really wanted a new rec center, and that's what they're getting. It's Goal three: Invest in faculty and staff Investing in faculty and staff members is the focus of the next goal, which has been accomplished in part by adding new hires, enhancing benefits and more professional development. DSU has updated over 300 staff job descriptions to better reflect employee work load. New benefit plans enhanced employee benefits at a reduced cost to them and the university. Also, all hiring policies and procedures were updated to ensure DSU is recruiting the best employees. Professional development and training was an area of interest to faculty and staff, and DSU delivered on that need. "We have a great faculty and staff," Willams said. "They're ones who have this 'Dixie' spirit that we talk about. They really put their hearts and souls into the university." al5 Goal four: Diversity Goal four is to increase 1 campus diversity. Williams wants students to see diversity on campus, not only in students, but also mirrored in faculty and staff as well. Twenty diversity events have been held at DSU in the last year, and campus training programs have been implemented to foster inclusiveness. All employe were required to participate in Safe Colleges training and Title IX training. DSU has also implemented Diversity -Advocate training and Safe Zone training. The Chief Diversity Offic t: Hicks and Daneka Do -'' Souberbielle, associate dex,QI...-of student inclusiveness arldrc,t, director of the : Inclusion Center, had instr1 mental positions in integrati,,-',1diversity on campus. i (P -- Multic-ultwalr'- 7- -i -- g Goal five: Community engagement 1 Goal five is centered on community involvement volunteer programs. These efforts have includC ;r service projects, the Instiat ! for Continued Learning, this' DSU Institute of Politics, ' DSU evet community-wid- e like the St. George Fourth t' I July Concert and the Kite Stuc tival, and other communitY The wait, outreach programs. , -- see ADDRESS page ninje denE in thi |