Utah sometimes sees an uncomfortable level of tension between its elected officials and its public universities. A lot of unproductive political fuss about our colleges supposedly being too woke.
But our lawmakers, to their credit, didn’t let that stop them from joining hands with the state’s flagship university to create an institution that will do a lot to level up the quality of life for an underserved part of our community.
With the Legislature’s authorization to issue up to $800 million in bonds — double the previous allowance — the University Health system’s plan for a new hospital in West Valley City will move from the drawing board to reality.
Construction at 3750 S. 5600 West is set to begin early next year, with some services open by 2027. It won’t be a moment too soon.
University of Utah President Taylor Randall notes that average life expectancy in some west side neighborhoods falls as much as 10 years short of that enjoyed by those living further east, in the shadow of the U.’s hilltop hospital complex. Having a state-of-the-art health facility nearby, not a 40-minute drive away, should help ease that disparity.
The U. has also launched what it’s calling its health professions pipeline. That’s an effort to direct interested students, including some from the West Side, into training to be nurses or other health care professionals.
The U., especially with this new facility, needs the staff. Our children, especially those on the west side, need the job opportunities. Opportunities that not only pay well, but can’t be offshored.
And all of Utah needs more examples of this kind of cooperation between our political class and our academic institutions.
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