Climate action leader to discuss solutions at SOU talk


NEWS RELEASE (online at https://goo.gl/PT3tHz)
(Ashland, Ore.) — KC Golden, a longtime leader in the U.S. climate action movement, will visit Southern Oregon University on March 9 for a talk that explores the need to turn a corner on the climate crisis and focus on solutions.
His free presentation, “Climate solutions: We have met the hero, and it is us,” will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 151 of the SOU Science Building. The talk comes as the city of Ashland works on its Climate and Energy Action Plan, and just a few weeks after SOU was one of six U.S. colleges and universities recognized with Climate Leadership Awards at the Presidential Climate Leadership Summit.
Golden will talk about the movement toward climate solutions that has begun over the past five years. The climate crisis has become real, and the cost of impacts is growing too high to ignore. He says a clean-energy revolution has been launched by the strong, citizen-driven climate movement that is challenging the status quo use of fossil fuels.
Climate change is coming to be understood as a moral watershed for our times, and Golden asks how we can drive the transition as fast and as far as is necessary.
Golden, who will speak on Jefferson Public Radio prior to his SOU presentation, is the current board chair of 350.org – a worldwide organization that seeks collaboration among activist groups to focus attention on climate change issues.  The organization’s name is derived from the goal of reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from the current level of more than 400 parts per million to fewer than 350 parts per million.
He also helped Seattle City Light become the country’s first major, carbon-free electric utility in the late 1990s. He was named one of the “Power 25” most influential people by Seattle Magazine, and was the magazine’s “Eco-Hero.”
Golden has served as the Seattle mayor’s special assistant for clean energy and climate protection initiatives and directed Washington’s Energy Policy Office as an assistant director in the state’s Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. He was the executive director of the Northwest Energy Coalition – an alliance working for clean, affordable energy – from 1989 to 1994.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power. It is the first university in the nation to balance 100 percent of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.

SOU in the News: Feb. 6-12


Media coverage and relevant mentions of Southern Oregon University for the most recent week

SOU student, alumni, faculty and sta news and features

Medford Mail Tribune • Teresa Thomas • Feb 12
‘The man for the job’: Brent Barry, who earned his master’s degree in education from SOU, is named superintendent of the Phoenix-Talent School District
The Siskiyou • Caroline Cabral and Hannah Jones • Feb 12
Remembering Coach Howard: Friends and family of SOU football coach Craig Howard gather to remember his life and his impact
News @ SOU • Joe Mosley • Feb 8
SOU receives third Tree Campus USA designation: SOU has received recognition for the third straight year from the Arbor Day Foundation as a “Tree Campus USA”
Daily Tidings • Joe Zavala • Feb 7
SOU football coach Craig Howard remembered as big-hearted father figure: SOU football coach Craig Howard is remembered for the love for one another that he instilled in his players
Mail Tribune • Joe Zavala • Feb 7
From academia to mystery writing: Michael Niemann, an international studies professor at SOU, has followed up his academic writing with a pair of mystery novels
KTVL TV-10 • Ariana Rakhshani • Feb 6
Coach Howard taught players more than football, he taught life lessons: Current and former players of SOU football coach Craig Howard – including Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow – remember the man
KOBI-TV NBC5 • Elizabeth Ruiz • Feb 6
Remembering Coach Craig Howard: Hundreds gathered to remember SOU football coach Craig Howard, who passed away Jan. 20

News about SOU academic programs

KTVL TV-10 • Sarina Sandoval • Feb 7
SOU aims to break down stereotypes with new program: SOU’s new Raiders Don’t Hate program is aimed at breaking down stereotypes and exploring individual identities

News about fine and performing arts

Medford Mail Tribune • Feb 10
5 picks for live entertainment: “Shakespeare’s Other Women,” written and directed by Scott Kaiser of the OSF, will be performed at SOU Feb. 18-19
Daily Tidings • Feb 9
LaDuke to share art and stories of local farmworkers: Ashland painter Betty LaDuke presents her book “Bountiful Harvest” as part of the SOU Hannon Library speaker series
Medford Mail Tribune • Feb 7
Cabalito Negro and Left Edge Percussion present ‘Resist’: SOU flute and percussion duo Caballito Negro, along with Left Edge Percussion, performs at Music Recital Hall
KDRV TV-12 • Feb 6
OSF: Beyond The Stage & Into Local Schools: Students and instructors in SOU’s Theatre Arts program discuss collaborating with staff from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival

News about politics, policy and national trends impacting SOU and higher education

Jefferson Public Radio • Geoffrey Riley and Emily Cureton • Feb 9
Why People Go To Planned Parenthood: Riah Sadafy and Kendall Bartley from SOU’s Women’s Resource Center talk with Jefferson Public Radio about Planned Parenthood
UnDark.org • Julia Rosen • Feb 6
Connecting the dots: SOU ecologist Michael Parker discusses the expansion of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

Miscellaneous news

Medford Mail Tribune • Feb 9
Get Out: Friday, Feb. 10: Jeanine Moy of the Klamath­Siskiyou Wildlands Center discusses rare plant species Feb. 16 at the SOU Science Building
Medford Mail Tribune • Lee Juillerat • Feb 9
Hiram Towle: Loving life at Mt. Ashland: Mt. Ashland general manager Hiram Towle wants to attract a new generation to the slopes, from elementary to SOU students
Daily Tidings • Joe Zavala • Feb 8
Christopher Briscoe to discus father-son road trip, share photos in special OLLI lecture: Photographer Christopher Briscoe shares photos and stories of a 2,800-mile bike trip at SOU’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

SOU recognized with Climate Leadership Award


NEWS RELEASE (online at https://goo.gl/Hz6vZs)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University is one of just six U.S. colleges and universities that will be recognized this week with Climate Leadership Awards at the 10th annual Presidential Climate Leadership Summit of the nonprofit organization Second Nature.
SOU and three other colleges or universities will receive honorable mentions during the three-day leadership summit’s awards luncheon on Tuesday. Two institutions – Arizona State University and Johnson County Community College in Kansas – will be named winners of the 2017 Climate Leadership Awards.
Second Nature, which was formed in 1993 to mobilize higher education toward the goal of sustainability, hosts the leadership summit each year as a touch-base opportunity for its Climate Leadership Network – made up of more than 600 colleges and universities in every state and the District of Columbia.
Member institutions each commit to take action on climate issues and prepare students to solve current and future challenges. Members may make a “Carbon Commitment” to work toward carbon neutrality; a “Resilience Commitment” to focus on climate adaptation; or a “Climate Commitment” to do both.
SOU and 14 other public and private colleges and universities in Oregon are Climate Leadership Network members, and SOU is one of four institutions in the state that have made the Climate Commitment.
SOU has also been honored with the Best Case Study Award by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, was the nation’s first certified Bee Campus USA and offers LEED Gold campus housing at its Raider Village complex.
The Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards recognize leadership in sustainability, climate mitigation and resilience. The awards are made in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power. It is the first university in the nation to balance 100 percent of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.

SOU in the News: Jan. 23 to Feb. 5


Media coverage and relevant mentions of Southern Oregon University for the most recent week

SOU student, alumni, faculty and staff news and features

Daily Tidings • Joe Zavala • USA • Feb 5
Local author to release second book in series: Michael Niemann, an international studies professor at SOU, has followed up his academic writing with a pair of mystery novels
Medford Mail Tribune • Teresa Thomas • USA • Feb 3
North Medford senior lands prestigious Navy ROTC scholarship: Jovanna Salvador­McColly inherited work ethic from her mother, who graduated from SOU after giving birth in high school
Jefferson Public Radio • USA • Feb 3
Professor Launches Rogue Valley Symphony in 1967: Violin professor Frederick Palmer started the Rogue Valley Symphony almost 50 years ago, just after arriving to teach at SOU
Herald and News • USA • Feb 3
Newsmaker: Sergio Cisneros; contributing to the community: Sergio Cisneros, a Klamath Falls teacher working on his master’s degree at SOU, was expected to take over the family restaurant
Mail Tribune • Kevin Breck • USA • Feb 1
Eno Files: Celebrating Oregon tempranillo growers and wines: SOU wine climatologist Greg Jones leads a blind tasting of Oregon tempranillos at an Oregon Wine Alliance event
Herald and News • Kurt Liedtke • USA • Jan 31
Roots grow deep at Oregon wine exhibit: SOU research anthropologist Maureen Battistella facilitates a showing of the exhibit “Clink! A Taste of Oregon Wine” in Klamath Falls
Fruit Growers News • USA • Jan 31
WSU to host symposium on extreme climate effects on grapes: SOU wine climatologist Greg Jones to speak at March 17 event on the impact of climate trends on the grape industry
Mail Tribune • USA • Jan 27
Birds Eye View: Acorn eater has a sweet tooth: SOU biology Professor Stewart Janes writes about the acorn woodpecker that raids a hummingbird feeder in his backyard
Medford Mail Tribune • USA • Jan 24
Transferring credits event held at RCC: Rogue Community College students learned to transfer their credits to state universities including SOU at events on Feb. 1 and 2
AffordableCollegesOnline.org • Katy McWhirter • USA • Jan 24
Graduate Student Financial Aid Guidebook: SOU scholarship and compliance coordinator Stephanie Hanigan’s interview, “Expert Advice on Paying for Grad School” included on web site
Herald and News • Holly Owens • USA • Jan 23
SOU football coach’s memorial set: A memorial service for SOU football coach Craig Howard, who died Jan. 20, will be at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6, at Raider Stadium

News about SOU academic programs

KTVL News­10 • Mike Marut • USA • Jan 28
SOU students take advantage of nice weather by rappelling at Emigrant Lake: Nathan Swanson, climbing manager for the SOU Outdoor Program, took students rappelling as an introduction to rock climbing
Jefferson Public Radio • Dennis Jenkins • USA • Jan 24
Underground History: The Old Horse Bones Of Paisley: SOU archaeologist Chelsea Rose and anthropologist Mark Tveskov discuss details of horse bones found near Paisley in eastern Oregon

News about fine and performing arts

The Press Tribune • USA • Feb 5
Renowned guitarist to play Roseville’s Strum Shop: Guitarist David Rogers, who taught at SOU and was a longtime performer at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, plays in California
Daily Tidings • USA • Feb 2
Cabalito Negro and Left Edge Percussion present ‘Resist’: SOU flute and percussion duo Caballito Negro, along with Left Edge Percussion, to perform at Music Recital Hall
OregonLive.com • Amy Wang • USA • Jan 28
Bookmarks: Readings by Ayelet Waldman, Laurie Frankel and more: A reading of Japanese avant­garde poetry at SOU’s Schneider Museum of Art is one of six literary readings
Daily Tidings • Joe Zavala • USA • Jan 27
A passion for poetry: Ashland High graduate Sho Sugita returns to read from his book of translated Japanese poetry at SOU’s Schneider Museum
Daily Tidings • Vickie Aldous • USA • Jan 26
SOU hosts six new art exhibits: Jay Zheng’s Instagram­inspired photos are one of six new exhibits of student, alumni and community art at SOU

News about politics, policy and national trends im pacting SOU and higher education

Medford Mail Tribune • Julie Akins • USA • Feb 2
Hundreds rally in Ashland against hate speech, blocking refugees: SOU English Professor Alma Rosa Alvarez tells protesters they don’t have to tolerate hatred or division
Jefferson Public Radio • Geoffrey Riley and Emily Cureton • USA • Jan 31
Bracing For Immigration Action: SOU student Ricardo Lujan, an undocumented immigrant, tells his story and shares his concerns
KDRV­12 TV • USA • Jan 31
SOU President Issues ‘Message of Support: SOU President Linda Schott sends letter to students, faculty and staff, expressing support for students affected by changes to immigration policy…
Medford Mail Tribune • USA • Jan 30
Former Bates chief of staff now SOU legislative liaison: Julie McFadden, the former chief of staff for the late state Sen. Alan Bates, has been hired as SOU’s director of government relations
Herald and News • Rob Manning • USA • Jan 30
Presidents Of Oregon Universities Decry Trump Travel Ban: Oregon public university presidents push back against travel ban; SOU has one student directly affected
Mail Tribune • Nick Morgan • USA • Jan 29
Trump’s immigration actions worry local Latinos, could threaten Oregon’s sanctuary law: Ricardo Lujan, a senior at SOU, says he is worried about losing protections as an undocumented immigrant who entered the U.S. as a child
Daily Tidings • USA • Jan 28
Guest Opinion: Grateful for expanded monument: SOU biology professor Michael Parker thanks those who enhanced protection for the Cascade­Siskiyou National Monument

Miscellaneous news

News @ SOU • USA • Feb 3
SOU center offers free presentation on debt­ reduction for businesses: SOU’s Small Business Development Center offers a free presentation for businesses on reducing debt and increasing cash flow
Medford Mail Tribune • USA • Feb 2
Get Out: Friday, Feb. 3: Jeanine Moy of the Klamath­Siskiyou Wildlands Center to discuss rare plant species Feb. 16 in Room 161 of the SOU Science Building
Daily Tidings • Julie Akins • USA • Feb 2
SOU students unhappy with facility conditions: SOU theatre arts students and university spokesperson Joe Mosley discuss improvements to temporary facilities in the Cascade Complex

SOU receives third Tree Campus USA designation


NEWS RELEASE
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University has received recognition for the third straight year as a “Tree Campus USA.” The Arbor Day Foundation honors select U.S. colleges and universities with the Tree Campus designation, based upon management of their urban forests and efforts to engage students and staff in conservation.

Arbor Day 2017 Southern Oregon University

SOU first received the designation for its efforts in 2014, and the 2016 honors were announced last week. The university has ramped up its Arbor Day activities as part of its ongoing campaign to become and remain a designated Tree Campus – 24,000 plants and 173 large trees have been planted on campus by volunteers during the past three annual celebrations, and a five-acre arboretum has been created.
“We have had a combined Arbor Day outreach of over 2,000 volunteers who have participated in everything from tree planting, pollinator garden creation and planting, botanical tours, pruning demonstrations and world-renowned educator presentations,” said Mike Oxendine, SOU’s landscaping, equipment and motor pool superintendent.
All trees planted at SOU’s Arbor Day celebrations have been donated by Plant Oregon, a Talent nursery that specializes in native plants, shrubs and trees. SOU offers free t-shirts to its Arbor Day volunteers, and those interested in participating can find more information on the SOU Landscape facebook page. This year’s Arbor day is on Friday, April 14.
The Arbor Day Foundation created its Tree Campus USA program in 2008. For 2016, 296 campuses nationwide received the recognition – including four universities and one community college in Oregon.
To qualify for the honor, colleges or universities must meet five standards: maintain a tree advisory committee, employee a campus tree-care plan, dedicate funding each year to the campus tree program, observe Arbor Day and engage students through a service-learning project.
According to the Arbor Day Foundation, Tree Campus USA colleges and universities invested more than $46.7 million in campus forest management efforts during 2016.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University is a medium-sized campus that provides comprehensive educational opportunities with a strong focus on student success and intellectual creativity. Located in vibrant Ashland, Oregon, SOU remains committed to diversity and inclusion for all students on its environmentally sustainable campus. Connected learning programs taught by a host of exceptional faculty provide quality, innovative experiences for students. Visit sou.edu.

SOU center offers free presentation on debt-reduction for businesses


NEWS BRIEF (online at https://goo.gl/Fp4J2Z)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University’s Small Business Development Center will offer a free presentation, “For Love & Money:  Reduce Debt and Increase Cash Flow in Your Business,” from 12:15 to 1:15 on Wednesday, Feb. 15, in Room 132 of the RCC/SOU Higher Education Center, at 101 S. Bartlett St., in Medford.
Certified financial coach Kathy Kali will serve as presenter at the session. She has been helping small business owners to grow and manage their income for 10 years.
Attendees will learn how to reduce debt by following the “seven baby steps to wealth-building in business,” retain earnings and pay themselves for their work, and use a monthly budget to maximize profit and cash flow.
Space for the presentation is limited, so those who are interested are advised to register ahead of time at www.sou.edu/sbdc.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power. It is the first university in the nation to balance 100 percent of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.