In a survey conducted just over a decade ago found that only 12 percent of Utah Valley citizens knew that UVSC had been providing students opportunities to receive four-year degrees for, what at that time had been over five years.
At the same time the survey was conducted, Utah Valley was competing against Snow College, Dixie and other junior colleges in athletics.
The community’s view of this school went hand in hand with the view of UV athletics and, frankly, that hasn’t changed.
What was Utah Valley on national TV for last week?
It wasn’t because of the great programs here, which there are-it was for sports.
With a budget of over $5 million dollars, athletics is expensive, but at most schools in the country athletics isn’t just about the money.
Going Division I means spending more money, more than students already pay in student fees, which as of now represents the most for athletics statewide.
It takes money to compete at Division I. However, it’s generally money well spent.
As good as the business school is, as good as the science department is and as good as all the other programs at Utah valley are, they won’t get Utah Valley on the local or national map the way sports can at the D-I level.
Athletics does it. Sometimes all it takes is one win for a small unrecognized school to make national headlines. That doesn’t happen at the junior college level.
And it’s true; too many students at this school don’t appreciate what great things are happening in athletics.
It’s time to take off the other school’s garb and get with it. It will take more than playing at the D-I level too. It will take consistent winning.
But that doesn’t mean give up and let another school hold on to its monopoly.
It takes time; it takes building a tradition for the change to happen. People don’t want to be considered second class when it comes to the other university in this valley and we shouldn’t be.
Why should the athletics department give in and say ‘Oh, we don’t need to get better because students already have a sucessful athletic department to turn to?
The status quo is rarely good enough. Utah Valley has the capabilities to be a great educational institution and athletics can be involved in that.
Would Utah Valley be a university if the athletics program were still playing at a junior college level? Not likely.
Or could you imagine the athletic program continuing down the same path, plodding along in NJCAA while Utah Valley was no longer a junior college?
No, it doesn’t happen. Athletics is important at any university. Stanford, Harvard, and Yale all have amazing educational opportunities and all lose money on Division I athletics.
Athletics brings in minorities, balance between female and males and needed recognition. All are things the school desires.
Athletics are important at this and most universities in the country. To make a splash nationally time and time again it is going to happen in athletics more than any other department.
And that will benefit every aspect of this school.
