Southern Oregon University will be one of just four campuses in the U.S. to participate over the next year in the 2026-27 NIRSA Wellbeing Collaborative, a high-impact initiative that helps campus recreation departments to move past siloed programs and embed proactive, systemic wellbeing into their culture and operations. The NIRSA Wellbeing Collaborative was launched in […]
Dee Anne Everson, an SOU Board of Trustees member and the CEO and executive director of United Way of Jackson County, received the prestigious First Citizen Award at last week’s Excellence in Business Awards ceremony by the Chamber of Medford and Jackson County. Everson was recognized for her long-standing work in support of local families, […]
(Ashland, Ore.) — The Oregon Legislature’s Joint Emergency Board voted Thursday to release the second half of a $15 million allocation to Southern Oregon University, signaling lawmakers’ satisfaction that the university is on track to meet agreed-upon milestones for implementation of its Vitality Plan for long-term financial stability and operational innovation. The 20-member E-Board approved […]
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University student Karen Lucia López Villanueva, a Master of Business Administration candidate from Guanajuato, Mexico, has been appointed by Gov. Tina Kotek and confirmed Thursday by the Oregon Senate to serve on the university’s Board of Trustees. Current board members Brent Barry and Iris Maria Chavez were each appointed by the […]
Southern Oregon University welcomed Oregon House Speaker Julie Fahey to campus on August 25 for a tour highlighting the SOU Vitality Plan and the university’s work to transform the institution, recent physical improvements, student life and the SOU’s role in serving the region. Speaker Fahey was joined by SOU President Rick Bailey and student guide […]
(Ashland, Ore.) —Southern Oregon University’s Digital Cinema program has been included on MovieMaker Magazine’s annual list of the “30 Best Film Schools in the U.S. and Canada” for the third consecutive year. SOU Digital Cinema is the only program from Oregon, Washington or Idaho to be included in MovieMaker’s review. The Digital Cinema major – […]
The following is a guest commentary from President Bailey that appeared recently in the Rogue Valley Times: If Southern Oregon University is a canary in the coal mine for public regional universities in Oregon and across the country, here’s an update: the bird is alive and singing. We have confronted an outdated, out-of-balance financial structure […]
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University has released the final version of its Vitality Plan, a strategic outline that addresses financial challenges and prepares the university for long-term sustainability and student opportunities. The final version includes a variety of modifications based on suggestions from faculty, staff and students that were submitted after a provisional version […]
(Ashland, Ore.) — A new economic impact study that measures the financial reach of Oregon’s three regional public universities shows that Southern Oregon University has a prominent and growing influence on the prosperity of Jackson County and the Rogue Valley. SOU’s total annual economic impact is $730 million statewide, $532.5 million in southern Oregon and […]
(Ashland, Ore.) — The Southern Oregon University Student Recreation Center continues to be a resource for both SOU employees and community members seeking a refuge from wildfire smoke and unhealthy outdoor air quality. The SRC offers free admission to its elevated, indoor walking and running track – a popular, smoke-free haven – from 5 to […]