Senate to Get Bill Merging Applied-Tech College With CEU

A bill to merge the Southeast Applied Technology College with the College of Eastern Utah passed the House on Wednesday and now heads to the Senate for a final vote.

HB371, sponsored by Rep. Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley, follows a vote by the State Board of Regents earlier this year to make the career and technical school part of CEU to cut down on redundancies and scarce resources at the two campuses located in Price.

The bill did have some opposition from representatives who fear the merger may be a catalyst to combine all of the state’s career and technical schools with larger campuses.

There are eight other campuses that are part of the Utah College of Applied Technology, and the Board of Regents is currently studying a plan to merge the Salt Lake campus with Salt Lake Community College.

“I worry that this cycle is going to take place. These need to remain distinct; they need to operate in their own separate missions,” Rep. Doug Aagard, R-Kaysville, said. “I’d encourage caution before we support this slippery slope we tend to be getting on right now.”

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