“The Utah Board of Higher Education has approved the recommendation of legislation during the state’s 2026 General Legislative Session to strengthen how Utah’s public colleges and universities work together as a unified system. The action reflects the Board’s responsibility to ensure higher education is aligned with statewide priorities, student needs and regional workforce demands.

The proposed redesign would establish a framework for enhanced region-based integration and collaboration that encourages coordination among institutions, supports shared programs and services and clarifies institutional roles within the system. This approach is intended to expand access to high-value programs, improve student pathways and make more effective use of public resources across the state. Utah’s public colleges and universities already collaborate in meaningful ways, and this proposal establishes a framework to strengthen and accelerate those efforts.

The Board fully supports legislation to redesign Utah’s higher education system to strengthen coordination, improve student pathways and ensure institutions can adapt to growth, changing demographics and evolving workforce needs statewide.

The Board looks forward to working with lawmakers and stakeholders during the upcoming legislative session as this proposal is considered.”

Read more about the system redesign here.