January 31st, 2012 § § permalink
I was in Washington, D.C. this past week (January 23-28), visiting our Oregon legislators and attending the annual conference of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). It was sunny and even warm—no coat needed!
On Tuesday and Wednesday, I met with Senators Wyden and Merkley as well as with Congressman Walden and Congressman Schrader and staff members of Congressman DeFazio. Everyone was very supportive of SOU and public higher education as we discussed Pell grants and other thorny issues. They will help as they much as they can in D.C.’s intensely difficult environment.
Then, starting Wednesday afternoon, I met with colleagues from the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) and attended sessions on the AAC&U conference theme of “Shared Futures, Difficult Choices.” It was refreshing, despite the financial quandaries we all face, to discuss issues such as increasing student success and retention, internationalizing our campuses, and strengthening partnerships with K-12.
As always, I came back to campus with lots of ideas—as well as a sense of what is happening in other states (a few good things, most not so good).
January 12th, 2012 § § permalink
Welcome to Winter 2012! I hope your holidays were happy and restful.
Once Thanksgiving came along, the President’s Blog took some time off from updating events at SOU. There was too much going on! The following are just a very few highlights from past weeks.
We had a lovely President’s Holiday Reception at Plunkett on December 4. The reception gave us a festive opportunity to launch our celebration of SOU’s 140th birthday. 
Our institution was first founded as Ashland Academy in 1872 and has gone through myriad names and transformations since then. The early December party got everyone in the holiday spirit.
In December, also, our wonderful, talented students Mandee Light and Beatriz Abella performed at Carnegie Hall (pictured above). SOU faculty members Donna Lane and Dennis Slattery (along with Dennis’s spouse Sandra) were in the audience and celebrated their success with them.
Over the break, I spent a few days at Timberline Lodge near Mount Hood, which had more snow than just about anywhere else in Oregon.
And now we’ve started a new year and a new term. Classes have started. Men’s and women’s basketball as well as wrestling are well underway. Campuses in Ashland and Medford are humming with activity.
The coming weeks will be exciting, challenging, and action-packed. Stay tuned for updates!
October 30th, 2011 § § permalink
July 1st, 2011 § § permalink
On Tuesday (July 5), the president’s office moves out of Churchill. The Britt Ballroom is already filled with HR and budget folks; Marketing and Communications has moved to the Hannon Library. Now the second floor of Computer Science will be populated with Churchill émigrés.
Only a few folks will be rattling around in this old building over the coming weeks. And then everyone will move out, and Churchill will be gutted, undergoing the largest overhaul in its long history.
Meanwhile, we’re packing, storing, and shredding. What do we absolutely need? What can we live without for a year? What do we never want to see again? Surely we don’t need those binders of meeting minutes from the 1980’s. Surely we can do without consultant reports requested by President Sours. Books?
Can I live without the 500 pounds of books from my office shelves? Let’s hope so—they’re already in storage.
I look forward to our new home. Next year at this time, when we see what we sent off to storage, I’m sure we’ll wonder why we thought we needed to save all that stuff.
Except for the books—I’ll be delighted to see them again.
May 6th, 2011 § § permalink
This week (May 2-6), we’re seeing true evidence of spring: the flowers, the sunshine, the students in flip-flops. We’ve been cooped up for over six months. Now we’re free!
Like others, I’m sure, I’m experiencing all the symptoms of spring fever: the desire to get out of the office, the tendency to daydream, the overpowering urge to take my winter clothes to the dry cleaners.
At the same time, this is the busiest time of year for just about everyone at SOU. Commencement is next month! We’ve got so much to do before the academic year ends. We have SOAR coming up as well as a myriad of events. We’re celebrating and honoring every afternoon, every evening, and every weekend. The next five weeks are packed.
Those of us housed in Churchill are also preparing to move: building renovation begins this summer, and we’re all moving out. We’re filling trash baskets and recycling bins with decades of paperwork, trying to pare down our lives for a year in temporary offices. And, meanwhile, it’s hard not to be distracted by the breathtaking pink blossoms outside our windows.
And I really need to get to the dry cleaners.
January 3rd, 2011 § § permalink
Welcome back, everyone. I hope you’ve had a relaxed and happy holiday season—and are ready now for the wonders and excitements as well as the hard work ahead in 2011.
I thoroughly enjoyed some time away in December, including a few days on the coast in beautiful Yachats (population 617). It was lovely to listen to the waves, hop around on rocks, and watch the tides surge in and out. My photos can’t capture all the sights, sounds, and salty smells–but they do bring back lovely memories!
We plunge right away into the new year with a new governor, new legislature, and new legislative season. Oregon economic woes continue, so we can expect another wild ride as state budgets and priorities are reviewed, dissected, and argued about in Salem. As the Oregon University System works to attain greater autonomy, I’ll continue posting significant documents pertaining to the process on my website.
Meanwhile, SOU faculty, staff, and students continue to do great work to meet strategic goals for 2010-2011. Check out the fall achievements on the planning page of my site as well. Enrollments continue strong—and we have many indicators that 2011 will be a good year for SOU.
Best wishes for a wonderful year for all of us!
August 24th, 2010 § § permalink
You may have seen the yellow tape and cones around the SU this summer—along with massive piles of building materials stacked along University Way.
SU Roof, before renovation
The SU roof, After renovation
Now the Stevenson Union has a new roof: we won’t see any more leaks, and we should see significant energy savings. The new roof is also set up for solar panel installations, a priority for SOU students.
Other SU renovations took place over the summer, too. Raider Aid has been remodeled to be an Information Desk and a Student Hub. You can stop by to find out about events, student government, intramurals, and outdoor program activities. It’s a comfortable space for hanging out or working on your laptop as well.
When folks return in the fall, plaques will also be posted around the SU explaining why it is a unique building—a building truly designed for students. The plaques will show the great work students have achieved over the years by ensuring the SU is a focal point on campus.
And the new roof will ensure everyone is warm and dry for years to come.
