The vice president of student affairs at Utah Valley University has been tapped to oversee the transition of the College of Eastern Utah into regional college of Utah State University.
Cory L. Duckworth will maintain his duties at UVU while serving as the transition director, helping to develop a memorandum of understanding that outlines the requirements for establishing CEU as a comprehensive regional college in Price.
"Having worked closely with Cory, I am confident he has the right skills and demeanor to lead the discussions as USU and CEU work through the many details of this transition," Commissioner of Higher Education William Sederburg said. Duckworth worked with Sederburg at Ferris State University in Michigan, when the Kendall College of Art and Design merged with that institution.
"Cory played a major role in working out the thorny merger issues," Sederburg said. "He reflects the board's commitment to not only devise an efficient operational model, but also build upon the higher education services in southwestern Utah."
Duckworth has held several executive positions at Ferris State University, St. Cloud State University, Minot State University, and Southern Utah University in Cedar City. He earned a juris doctorate and master's degree in political science from the University of Utah and earned a bachelor's degree in political science and psychology from Utah State University.
The memorandum is the next step in an exhaustive process in further defining how this new model for CEU will be established. It will also help identify what legislative actions must be taken to facilitate this transition. It is anticipated this MOU will be presented to the Board of Regents later this year.
e-mail: wleonard@desnews.com