Press Releases
Events happening at Southern Oregon University: Week of November 16, 2009
November 16, 2009
6-7:30 PM OXFAM HUNGER BANQUET
Annual French Club Dinner at SOU
November 16, 2009
Francophones and Francophiles will come together this week to celebrate the annual French Club dinner at Southern Oregon University.
SOU criminology professor earns national honors for research and teaching
November 17, 2009
A Southern Oregon University criminology professor has received her second consecutive award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Science (ACJS).
Democracy and the Decline of Civic Associations Subject of SOU Tocqueville Imagining America Series
November 13, 2009
Alexis de Tocqueville, the French author who wrote the monumental work Democracy in America, observed that the involvement of American citizens in civic associations was critical to the American form of democracy.
SOU Marks New Milestones in Fall Term Enrollment
November 10, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU) reports the highest fall term student enrollment since 2004. The university has also reached a new high in minority enrollment.
National Survey of Student Engagement Highlights Success of SOU Students
November 10, 2009
Results from a national survey show that Southern Oregon University compares favorably with institutions nationwide in key benchmark measures. SOU is one of 617 U.S. colleges and universities that participate in the 2009 national Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The NSSE data released this week show that SOU has made steady improvement in the quality of undergraduate education as measured by students' participation in effective educational practices.
Students Explore French/American Cultural Differences
November 06, 2009
(Ashland, Ore.) - A group of Southern Oregon University (SOU) students, including native French students studying at SOU and American students who have studied in France, will explore the cultural and educational differences between the two countries in a panel discussion to be held Wednesday, November 11, at 6:30 p.m. in room 319 of the Stevenson Union on the SOU campus.
Speaker change for Fridays at 3 presentation tomorrow
October 15, 2009
Southern Oregon University’s Dean of Education, Geoff Mills, will stand in tomorrow for Alissa Arp at the Fridays at 3 presentation in the SOU Science Building auditorium. Illness prevents Arp, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, from appearing. Her presentation will be rescheduled at a later date.
World Music Takes Center Stage at The Schneider Museum of Art
October 13, 2009
A colorful pallet of world music will fill the halls of the Schneider Museum of Art (SMA) at Southern Oregon University (SOU) on November 5 at 7 pm. The concert featuring area musicians supports its current exhibition, "Harmonie Universelle: Four Continents of Musical Instruments" from SOU’s Schuman Collection.
Artful Affair Coming to The Schneider Museum of Art
October 08, 2009
It will be an affair to remember as The Schneider Museum of Art at Southern Oregon University (SOU) hosts its ninth annual "Art Affair" on November 14 from 6 to 9 pm.
Arts and Sciences Dean to Open Seminar Season at SOU
October 07, 2009
Dr. Alissa Arp, Dean of Southern Oregon University’s College of Arts and Sciences, will present "Life in the Extreme: Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vents and Other Ecologically Challenging Marine Environments" on Friday, October 16, at SOU. The presentation is the first in a fall term series of seminars called Fridays at 3. The presentations are held from 3 to 4 pm in the Science Lecture Hall, Room 118, Southern Oregon University, 1250 Siskiyou Boulevard, Ashland. The seminars are free and open to the public.
Schneider Museum opens two new shows featuring SOU Collections
October 02, 2009
The Schneider Museum of Art unveiled two new shows on Thursday, October 1: “Harmonie Universelle: Four Continents of Musical Instruments from SOU’s Schuman Collection” and “Recent Additions to the Permanent Collection of the Schneider Museum of Art.”
SOU to Mark Constitution Day
September 17, 2009
On Thursday, September 24, Southern Oregon University (SOU) will host activities on the Ashland campus to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787.
Mandarin Chinese Offered at SOU
August 31, 2009
Beginning this fall, Southern Oregon University will offer Mandarin Chinese in collaboration with St. Mary’s School. Plans are also underway to expand the program in the future.
SOU Names Dr. Raj Parikh as Dean of the School of Business
August 27, 2009
Dr. Raj Parikh has accepted the position of Dean of the School of Business at Southern Oregon University (SOU). Dean Parikh has 17 years of experience in academic administration as department chair, MBA program director, dean of lifelong learning, dean of three schools of business and provost and vice president of academic affairs. Currently he is the CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Education Company in the United Arab Emirates.
SOU Offers Options to High School Students
August 26, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU) has a solution for southern Oregon high school students facing limited class choices due to state budget cuts; enroll early in college. "If they can't get the classes they want at their high school, they could get a jump start on college and take classes at SOU," says SOU Director of Pre-College and Youth Programs Carol Jensen. "Even better, they can enroll for a discount. Tuition is only $60 per credit—a savings of up to 60-percent of the regular tuition rate!"
SOU Launches New Program for Deployed Soldiers
August 17, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU), named today by G.I. Jobs magazine to its 2010 list of Military Friendly Schools, will offer a unique distance education program for deployed soldiers beginning this fall. Class study is not offered online. Instead, course materials for the self-paced program include workbooks, comprehensive textbooks and CDs with multimedia and digital materials.
RCC/SOU Higher Education Center Receives $285,000 Federal Grant for Solar Power
August 10, 2009
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a $285,000 Congressionally directed grant to Southern Oregon University (SOU) for infrastructure and equipment acquisition. The grant will be used to install a 55-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system on the roof of the Higher Education Center (HEC) in Medford, Ore. The HEC is a new three-story educational building jointly owned and operated by SOU and Rogue Community College (RCC).
SOU Receives $50,000 Grant for Online Course Development
August 04, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU) has received a $50,000 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to support the development of online courses. The funds will be used to help create 20 new online courses in general education areas, as well as prerequisite courses for business administration and criminology and criminal justice degree programs.
SOU Receives $250,000 Emergency Management Grant
August 04, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU) is one of 20 colleges and universities across the country to receive a federal grant to improve emergency management. The $250,000 grant will be used for training, coordination of planning and communication, collaboration with other emergency agencies and development of a plan to prepare SOU for a possible infectious disease outbreak such as pandemic influenza.
College Prep Institute Returns to Southern Oregon University for the Sixth Year
July 21, 2009
Ages: 14–18
SOU Pre-College Youth Programs offers Sea Camp of Oregon in August
July 20, 2009
Southern Oregon University Pre-College Youth Programs is offering Sea Camp of Oregon from August 16–19, an exciting residential experience for students ages 9–12.
SOU Names Rushton Johnson, Jr. Executive Director for Student Life
July 16, 2009
Rushton Johnson, Jr., EdD, has accepted the position of Executive Director for Student Life at Southern Oregon University (SOU). Johnson will be responsible for Housing and Residential Life, Involvement and the Stevenson Union, Civic Engagement, Queer Resource Center, Women’s Resource Center, Multicultural Resource Center, Commuter Student Resource Center and New Student Orientation. Johnson will also work closely with the Associated Students of Southern Oregon University (ASSOU) and Food Services.
SOU Pre-College Youth Program Announces KIDS U Classes
July 16, 2009
Get drawing with Manga Madness, which is just one of the fascinating classes available in July. The Southern Oregon University (SOU) Pre-College Youth Program has a class this July for you—from how to cook to how to be a forensic detective. For more information, visit sou.edu/youth or call 541-552-6452.
KIDS U Information
Session 2: July 20–24
Session 3: July 27–31
Session 4: August 3–7
Full-day fee: $188 per session
Half-day fee: $99 per session
SESSION 2: July 20–24
Visual Jazz Comes to the Schneider Museum of Art
June 15, 2009
The Schneider Museum of Art at Southern Oregon University (SOU) is presenting an exhibit of quilts and related works on paper created by African-American women from Gee’s Bend, Ala., from July 4 to September 14. Textile works by Ashland artist Kris Hoppe will accompany the quilt exhibit.
Future Movie Moguls Can Learn the Craft in Summer Classes
June 11, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU) is offering a series of filmmaking classes for kids this summer, and SOU's Youth Programs Director Carol Jensen is encouraging students who take the classes to enter their work in the Ashland Independent Film Festival (AIFF). The AIFF Launch contest, a free regional student film competition, will be held in conjunction with the ninth annual Ashland Independent Film Festival, April 8 through 12, 2010.
850 to Receive Degrees at SOU Commencement
June 05, 2009
Approximately 850 students will receive degrees at Southern Oregon University’s 83rd Commencement exercises on Saturday, June 13. The ceremony begins in the Mountain Arena of SOU Raider Stadium at 8:45 am and will be broadcast live on Rogue Valley Community Television, cable channel 15, and rebroadcast the same day at 6 pm on cable channel 9.
SOU Student Receives National Sculpture Award
June 04, 2009
Kandace Collins of Ashland, Ore., has been awarded the International Sculpture Center’s Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award for 2009. Collins is a senior fine art student majoring in sculpture at Southern Oregon University (SOU). Collins was one of eleven winners among 441 students nominated from 176 colleges in 16 countries.
SOU Economics Students Forecast the Future
June 02, 2009
Where is the U.S. economy headed over the coming years? Find out Thursday, June 4, at 7 pm, as advanced economics students present the results of their forecasting project in Stevenson Union Room 330 at Southern Oregon University (SOU).
SOU to Offer Leadership Course This Summer
June 02, 2009
Joan Resnick challenges the theory that leadership is reserved to a select few who are born leaders. Resnick, the CEO of a consulting group who will lead an executive-style program this summer at SOU, says “Key leadership skills can be learned and—when reinforced with coaching, feedback and support—will make an immediate impact on a person’s life and career.” She adds, “These are extraordinary times, requiring courageous leadership and up-to-the minute skills, attitudes and beliefs.”
Southern Oregon Spelling Contest Winners
June 02, 2009
The thirty-third regional spelling contest has concluded with winners in three divisions from Jackson, Josephine and Klamath counties. The regional event was held Saturday, May 16, in the Stevenson Union Arena at Southern Oregon University (SOU) in Ashland. The competition is level two of the State Spelling Contest sponsored by the Oregon Department of Education. The regional winner of each division will participate in the state finals in September at the Oregon State Fair in Salem.
SOU Faculty Member Chosen Head of National Committee
June 01, 2009
Barbara Scott Winkler, program director of Women’s Studies at Southern Oregon University (SOU), has been named chair of the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA) committee on Ethics, Equity, Diversity and Accessibility. The committee will be responsible for compiling a code of ethics for the profession of women’s studies.
SOU Awards President's Medal to Jed Meese
May 28, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU) has awarded its 2009 President's Medal to Jed Meese, a local philanthropist and entrepreneur. In making the presentation, SOU President Mary Cullinan cited Meese's generosity, enthusiasm, spirit and unabashed support for SOU and the southern Oregon community. Meese's wife Celia was the medal recipient in 1998.
SOU Staff and Faculty Members Receive Recognition
May 28, 2009
The local chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society, has honored five faculty and staff members at Southern Oregon University (SOU). The following, nominated by students, were presented with awards at the Southern Oregon Arts and Research reception, May 21, 2009:
SOU Career Workshop: Economic Downturn as an Opportunity for Change
May 21, 2009
Need a job? Southern Oregon University’s (SOU’s) Assistant Professor of Business John Bowling has some leads for you. They may not be posted on Craigslist or the want ads yet, but these opportunities are soon to present themselves in southern Oregon and northern California. Bowling specializes in aging services, one of several industry segments expected to see dramatic growth. Bowling and SOU School of Business colleagues Joan McBee, John Laughlin and Steve Schein will share their insights on the jobs of the future at a free workshop titled "Reinventing Your Career." The workshop is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:00 pm on Wednesday, May 27 in the presentation hall of the RCC/SOU Higher Education Center, 101 S. Bartlett in Medford. School of Business faculty and admission and financial aid representatives will be available after the presentation until 8:00 pm.
SOU Pre-College Youth Program Announces Classes for June
May 19, 2009
Ni hao! Learn Chinese this summer, which is just one of the fascinating classes available in June. The Southern Oregon University (SOU) Pre-College Youth Programs has a class this June for you—from how to make and edit movies to how to get in shape and play ultimate sports. For more information, visit the website or call 541-552-6452.
SOU Pre-College Youth Programs Presents "Pure Awesomeness" This Summer
May 19, 2009
"Pure awesomeness" describes the variety of exciting, hands-on classes offered by the Southern Oregon University (SOU) Pre-College Youth Programs this summer. Registration for students ages 6 through 18 for Hot Classes, KIDS U and residential camps is now open.
SOU Names Gary Gillespie New Director of Development
May 13, 2009
Gary Gillespie has accepted the position of Director of Development at Southern Oregon University (SOU). Gillespie will be responsible for soliciting major and planned gifts from individuals, companies and foundations.
De Toqueville Imagining America: SOU Professors Participate in Chautauqua Discussion Series
May 13, 2009
What does a nineteenth-century Frenchman have to say about American democracy that can influence public debate and democratic decision making today? Two Southern Oregon University Professors, Assistant Professor of Philosophy Dr. Prakash Chenjeri and Professor of French Dr. Daniel Morris, will explore that question through a series of community conversations sponsored by the Oregon Council for Humanities’ Chautauqua Conversation Project in 2009–10.
Southern Oregon Arts and Research Soars in 2009
May 12, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU) reports a 54% increase in participants in the second annual Southern Oregon Arts and Research (SOAR) celebration of faculty and student research and artistic achievement. This year, 178 students, faculty and staff will participate in 42 podium presentations and/or symposia, 28 poster sessions, 11 art exhibitions and four live performances of dance and music. SOAR takes flight on the SOU campus May 19 through 21.
RVTV to Tape and Air Legislative Hearing
April 28, 2009
Rogue Valley Community Television (RVTV) will tape the Oregon legislature’s Joint Ways and Means Committee Town Hall to be held this Thursday, April 30, from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm at Southern Oregon University (SOU). The entire Town Hall will be shown several times on RVTV Channel 14 on the Charter and Ashland Home network in Jackson County and RVTV Channel 14 on the Charter Cable network in Josephine County.
SOU Continues Enrollment Growth in Spring Term
April 27, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU) reports a 3.4% increase in student headcount and a 1.1% increase in Full Time Equivalent (FTE) enrollment over last spring. The new figures also show the university has reached another high in minority enrollment—13%.
SOU Pre-College Youth Program Announces Classes for May
April 22, 2009
How do they do that? Find out the secret to movie special effects, just one of the fascinating classes available in May. The Southern Oregon University (SOU) Pre-College Youth Program has a class for you—from how to start your own business as a kid to how to cook simple vegetarian meals. For more information, visit sou.edu/youth or call 541-552-6452.
SOU Announces the Bev Bennett Scholarship for Women Athletes
April 21, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU) has received a $25,000 gift from the estate of the late Beverly “Bev” Bennett for women’s athletic scholarships. Bennett taught and coached at Southern Oregon College (SOC) from 1950 to 1984. She started the school's competitive sports program for women in the late 1950s and coached tennis, basketball, field hockey, volleyball and track. She was instrumental in organizing women's college leagues in the Northwest, and she was also a nationally rated basketball and volleyball official. She was one of two women included in the initial twelve inductees into the SOSC Athletic Hall of Fame. She died last October 31 at the age of 82.
SOU Names Dr. Alissa Arp as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
April 14, 2009
Dr. Alissa J. Arp has accepted the position of Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at Southern Oregon University (SOU). Dean Arp has served as the Vice President for Research and Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at Hawaii Pacific University since 2006. Before that, she served for 11 years as director of the Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies at San Francisco State University.
SOU Names Craig Morris New VP for Finance and Administration
April 14, 2009
Craig Morris has accepted the position of Vice President for Finance and Administration at Southern Oregon University (SOU). Morris has 12 years of administrative experience on the Ashland campus, as well as many years in the private sector.
Southern Oregon University College of Arts and Sciences Announces Free Friday Seminars Schedule for Spring Term
April 06, 2009
Forest-based communities, research at Crater Lake, the weight of asteroids and intelligent design are some of fascinating topics to be covered in the next Friday Seminar series offered by the Southern Oregon University College of Arts and Sciences.
SOU and local education services district present "Best of the Best"
April 02, 2009
The 24th annual “Best of the Best” Student Art Show will run from April 10 through 25, at the Rogue Gallery & Art Center in Medford. The Rogue Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 am to 5 pm and Saturday, 11 am to 3 pm.
Events Scheduled for Upcoming Guanajuato Celebration
April 02, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU) will host a week of events in celebration of the upcoming 40th anniversary of the relationship with the Universidad de Guanajuato (UG) and the city of Guanajuato. With the exception of the Friday and Saturday night concerts, all events are free.
College Transfer Workshop to be Held April 7 in Medford
March 27, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU) will hold a college transfer workshop at the RCC/SOU Higher Education Center (HEC), 101 S. Bartlett Street, in downtown Medford, Tuesday, April 7, from 5 to 7 pm in the HEC Multipurpose Room (#127). SOU advisors will be there to help students make the transition to the four-year campus.
SOU and UO agree to dual institution program: Students will take general courses in Ashland before transferring to Eugene
March 16, 2009
Southern Oregon University and the University of Oregon have reached an agreement that will allow students to enroll in a dual institution program. The SOU/UO Dual Program will enable admitted students to take general education courses and live at SOU, before transferring to Eugene to finish upper-division requirements and earn degrees from UO.
Buy an Empty Bowl, Fight Hunger at SOU's Thorndike Gallery
March 10, 2009
The tenth annual Empty Bowls event, a pottery fundraiser to alleviate hunger in our community, will take place Friday, April 3, 2009, from 5 to 7 pm in the Southern Oregon University Art Building, Thorndike Gallery. With increased demand at local food banks, organizers hope to raise $5,000, matching last year’s amount.
SOU Receives Largest Cash Gift Ever from Osher Foundation
March 09, 2009
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Southern Oregon University (SOU) is the recipient of a $1 million endowment gift from the Bernard Osher Foundation. The SOU Foundation will manage the endowment, which will support the continued operations of the OLLI program at SOU. The endowment is the largest cash gift the foundation has ever received.
Sebastian Sanzberro Lastiri
March 06, 2009
Staff and faculty at Southern Oregon University (SOU) and many friends in Ashland are mourning the loss of a dear friend and colleague, Sebastian Sanzberro Lastiri. He died February 21, 2009, at his home in Guanajuato, Mexico, after a battle with cancer.
SOU Pre-College Youth Program Announces Classes for Spring
March 03, 2009
Calling all young athletes, outdoor enthusiasts and curious students. The Southern Oregon University (SOU) Pre-College Youth Program has a class this spring for you—from golf to rock climbing and from art to technology. For more information, visit sou.edu/youth or call 541-552-6452.
400 Years of the Telescope Showing at SOU
March 02, 2009
The Schneider Museum of Art at Southern Oregon University (SOU) is partnering with the SOU College of Arts and Sciences and Southern Oregon Public Television (SOPTV) to present the PBS documentary 400 Years of the Telescope Friday, March 13 at 3 pm in the Meese Auditorium in the Center for the Visual Arts. The event is free and open to the public.
Poetry and Music at the Schneider Museum of Art
February 27, 2009
The Schneider Museum of Art at Southern Oregon University (SOU) will present a reading by Sacramento poet and poly-artist D.R. Wagner, to be followed by a performance of Ashland’s Sonoluminescence on Thursday, March 5 at 7:30 pm. Admission is free, but seating is limited.
Executive Search Company CEO to Speak at SOU Business Lecture Series
February 25, 2009
The Chief Executive Officer of Billingsly Associates, LLC, a national executive search firm, will be the next speaker in the Southern Oregon University (SOU) School of Business’s Executive Lecture Series (ELS) to be held in the Presentation Hall at the new SOU/RCC Higher Education Center (HEC), 101 South Bartlett, Medford. Dorothy M. Billingsly will present “Effective Interviewing Techniques,” Monday, March 2, at 5:30 pm.
Imagining America Director Speaks at SOU on Performance and Social Change
February 19, 2009
How does theatre impact social change? Jan Cohen-Cruz, Executive Director of Imagining America, will explore this question in a free public lecture titled “A Half Century of Socially-Engaged Performance: A Personal Perspective.” Cohen-Cruz will speak Tuesday, March 3, at 7 pm in the Meese Auditorium of the Center for the Visual Arts on the Southern Oregon University (SOU) campus. A reception in the Schneider Museum of Art follows the presentation.
Teaching Award Honors SOU Criminology Professor
February 18, 2009
Dr. Alison Burke, assistant professor of criminology at Southern Oregon University (SOU), has been selected to receive an Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences SAGE Junior Faculty Teaching Award.
SOU to Explain Economic Stimulus Projects to Contractors
February 13, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU) will hold an information session for contractors interested in bidding on the state stimulus plan projects recently approved for SOU. The information session will be held at 3 pm, Thursday, February 19, in the Presentation Hall at the SOU/RCC Higher Education Center at 101 S. Bartlett in Medford.
Master in Interdisciplinary Studies to be Offered at SOU
February 13, 2009
Next fall, Southern Oregon University (SOU) will begin a new graduate program, the Master in Interdisciplinary Studies (MIIS), through SOU's College of Arts and Sciences.
First Amendment Forum Contemplates Communities Without Newspapers
February 10, 2009
Who needs newspapers? This provocative question will be explored at the annual Thomas W. Pyle First Amendment Forum at Southern Oregon University (SOU), Monday, March 2 at 7 pm in the Rogue River Room of the Stevenson Union.
SOU Named to Presidential Honor Roll for Community Service
February 10, 2009
The Corporation for National and Community Service honored Southern Oregon University (SOU) today with a place on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts and service to America’s communities.
Rare Writing and Printing Collection to be Given to SOU Hannon Library
February 09, 2009
Southern Oregon University’s (SOU’s) Hannon Library is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Hearn Family History of Writing and Printing Collection. The collection, donated by Lily Hearn and her family, includes examples of rare and valuable early writing and printing from various cultures and languages around the world.
SOU Marks New Milestones in Winter Term Enrollment
February 09, 2009
Southern Oregon University (SOU) reports the highest winter term student headcount since 2004. The new figures also show the university has reached an historic high in minority enrollment.
Southern Oregon History Marathon Coming to RVTV
February 03, 2009
Rogue Valley Community Television (RVTV) and Southern Oregon University (SOU) will broadcast a seven-hour program, Saturday, February 14, to commemorate Oregon’s 150th birthday. “Oregon Stories: Remembering Southern Oregon” will be seen on RVTV Channel 9 on the Charter and Ashland Home network in Jackson County and RVTV Channel 14 on the Charter Cable network in Josephine County. The program begins at 10 am and continues until 5 pm.
