Utah Valley University

OREM -- A blind former professor is suing Utah Valley University, claiming wrongful termination after students complained he couldn't teach because of his disability and was too tough on them.

Rick Shepherd Loper died Saturday, July 30, 2011. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2011, at Lindquist's Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the mortuary and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Wednesday. Interment will be at Lindquist's Heights Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Kidney Foundation. To see the complete obituary, see the Standard-Examiner's e-edition.

OREM  -- Utah Valley University's aviation science program is making changes after a deadly plane crash, and two external audits that suggested there are safety concerns within the program.

The most recent audit followed the November plane crash in Payson that killed UVU flight instructor Jamie Bennee and student David Whitney, The Daily Herald of Provo reported.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah's Board of Regents has approved tuition increases averaging 7.5 percent for the state's eight public colleges and universities.

Virtual teaching is becoming an integral part of school districts across the state, so will this be the new reality for Utah students?

LOGAN -- With all the recent changes in conference affiliation among schools in the state of Utah, and the differing schedules between those in-state schools, officials from the four original schools (BYU, Utah, Utah State, Weber State) have agreed to retire the Old Oquirrh Bucket for the foreseeable future.

For the past 37 years, the Old Oquirrh Bucket (named after the Oquirrh Mountains to the west of Salt Lake City) has been the symbol of in-state basketball supremacy in Utah. Every year since 1974 the trophy has been awarded to the in-state college with the best win-loss record against in-state competition.

OGDEN -- Eight women from Utah and Nevada will compete Saturday for the title of Miss Wilderness Circuit at a pageant at the Comfort Suites Hotel and the Golden Spike Event Center.