May 21, 2024 – President Rick Bailey offers an update on SOU’s solar ambitions, and also addresses protests on campuses near and far over the tragedies in Israel and Gaza. SOU is a little less than a third of the way to the seven megawatts of solar generating capacity it will need to become the first public university to produce all of its own daytime electricity. New solar arrays are in the works atop Lithia Motors Pavilion and The Hawk dining commons, and SOU’s first solar-covered parking lot will likely be in the works within the year. President Bailey recognizes that both the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel and the ongoing loss of innocent lives in Gaza are “horrific,” and that students, faculty and staff have strong feelings about it. SOU supports the right to speak out about the situation, but urges nonviolence. President Bailey quotes Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

March 20, 2024 – President Rick Bailey celebrates SOU academics and athletics, and thanks state lawmakers for their support, in this month’s video message. Graphic design students in the Emerging Media & Digital Arts program completed work on a rebranding project with the city of Shady Cove, four recent Theatre Arts graduates are acting in Oregon Shakespeare Festival productions and SOU students just returned from Guanajuato, Mexico, as part of the Global Innovation Scholars program in the School of Business. Congratulations to the Cheer & Dance team and women’s basketball and wrestling teams for successful seasons. And a paraphrase from The Rev. Jesse Jackson about kindness: Never look down on someone unless leaning over to help them up.

November 20, 2023 – President Rick Bailey celebrates SOU’s groundbreaking fall enrollment gains in this month’s video message. Increases of 15% in the freshman class and 10% for transfers, along with solid retention gains for all undergraduates, “set SOU apart” from Oregon’s other public universities. He credits data-sharing agreements with Oregon high schools, visits to K-12 districts, data analytics and hard work by admissions staff. The president also discusses SOU’s novel general education core and the “connection” of community members with the university.

August 14, 2023 – SOU President, Rick Bailey says in his August video message to campus that the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action and LGBTQ+ rights should have a little direct effect on SOU, but the university must assure that everyone not only feels welcome, but also knows that they belong. Student loan debt “is not a behemoth” at SOU, as it is at some institutions, he says, but the university must be mindful, make hard decisions when necessary and be resourceful to keep students’ expenses and debts manageable.

March 29, 2023 – SOU President Rick Bailey circles back to something he mentioned over a year ago in his first video message to campus and community members: that with kindness and unity as a foundation, the university can do anything. He acknowledges that there is turbulence and anxiety, but also opportunity as SOU proceeds with its fiscal realignment. And he thanks campus and the community for their support through all of their connections with SOU.