The Dixie State College Board of Trustees is floating the concept of a U. of U.-St. George as a way to offer more academic programs to students in the Washington and Kane county area. The details are yet to be worked out, and both the U.'s board of trustees and the Utah State Board of Regents would have to go along. But, so far, it seems to be a winner all-around.

In fact, if the partnership lives up to its apparent promise, an expanded U. satellite system involving other small state colleges such as Snow College and College of Eastern Utah might well develop, modeled after the St. George campus. But there is much to be proven before that could be seriously considered.

The concept, something like the California system, is intriguing.

But, let's consider first things first. On the table now is a plan proposed by the Dixie trustees that would maximize the college's mission to prepare students for professions and careers in a cost-effective manner. It would allow Dixie to continue to offer associate degrees while adding to its undergraduate courses and graduate-degree programs, with the U. providing some faculty, library materials and other resources.

The trustees estimate it would require a $7 million annual expenditure to pay faculty and staff, which appears a bargain for the expanded educational opportunities it would create in southern Utah. In contrast, the cost of turning Utah Valley State College into Utah Valley University, approved by the Legislature last winter, is about $10 million per year, after an initial $8 million start-up appropriation.

Under the Dixie-U. partnership, the university would administer the programs and the Dixie president would become a chancellor, working under direction of the university president. That would save the state the cost of a separate administrative system, as UVU maintains in Orem.

Utah Higher Education Commissioner Richard Kendell said he wants to avoid duplication of efforts. A partnership between the state's small colleges and flagship university would do that, and get degrees into the hands of more Utahns.