[15] In 1933, the LDS Church discontinued its financial support of the institution, and rather than give up on it, the local citizenry came together and maintained its operation through donations and labor for the following two years during the Great Depression.

These local citizens, particularly the Dixie Education Association, raised the funds to purchase four city blocks of land on the 700 East and 100 South streets for a new school campus.

[21] In December 2020, the new university's board of trustees unanimously voted to recommend removing the word Dixie from the school's longtime name and title.

Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed the bill into law in a ceremony on the St. George campus, calling the new university into existence on February 16, 2013.

DSU president Stephen D. Nadauld and others recognized this step as the fulfillment of the dream of the original Mormon pioneers of southern Utah to have a university for their communities.

[28][29][15] The Salt Lake Tribune described the college yearbooks containing "troubling photos, some as late as the early 1990s", in which "White students sing in black face, dress as Confederate soldiers, stage slave auctions and affectionately display the Confederate battle standard.

[31] The process of changing the university's name began in June 2020[32] during the George Floyd protests in the midst of the 2020–2022 racial unrest and the Black Lives Matter movement.

[32] Although the state legislature delegated the task to a committee that collected suggestions[33] and decided on Utah Polytechnic State University, the Dixie board of trustees recommended Utah Tech University after the original proposed name received negative community input.

[35][8] In December 2014, theater professor Varlo Davenport received a notice of dismissal and termination of academic employment in connection with a student complaint of an alleged assault, but because of his academic tenured status he was allowed to request a termination appeal hearing as outlined in DSU Policy.

[36] A reinstatement petition was started by students that ultimately garnered over 1,400 signatures, and many letters were also sent to the State Board of Regents from the community and faculty members.

A faculty review board convened, and after hearing testimony and evidence from both sides, recommended Davenport's reinstatement.

Members of the faculty review board subsequently met with Williams, pressing for a change in his decision.

The City of St. George filed Class B misdemeanor charges in Justice Court and a trial was held in 2016, with the jury finding the professor not guilty.

[38] In 2015, in accordance with school policy, three students requested permission from the university to post fliers with satirical images of former 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush, and Cuban revolutionary leader Che Guevara, on campus.

At the center of UT campus is the Encampment Mall, where Mormon pioneers first camped when they arrived in 1861 to settle and grow cotton in the desert.

[44] The Atwood Innovation Plaza on UT's campus provides resources to students and the St. George community at large for business and idea development.

[45] Students and community members have access to free consultations and an incubator workspace through the Business Resource Center,[46] tools to create prototypes and perform small-run manufacturing through the Makerspace,[47] assistance with research, patents, trademarks, and copyrights through Innovation Guidance & Solutions,[48] and help getting businesses off the ground through the Startup Incubator.

active life," that focuses on career preparation and engagement in regional economic and workforce growth and development.

The mission of the Booth Honors Program at Utah Tech is to “attract a diverse community of highly capable and motivated individuals who challenge one another in a lifelong pursuit of learning.”[55] The Honors Program allows students access to priority registration, scholarship opportunities that provide students with research and travel grants, and small, discussion formatted classes that cover a wide range of topics, like HON 3010: Science and Nature Writing or HON 3010: Super Heroes and Citizenship.

[58] Various responsibilities fall to UTSA including the planning of most on-campus events, charity and service work, and relations between university students and the school's faculty and surrounding community.

Any student is able to apply for any position in UTSA, and if chosen is asked to maintain good academic and community standing, while abiding by the university's other rules and bylaws.

[63][64] Campus View Suites III is set to open in fall 2024 to accommodate the growing student population.