Dr. Mary Cullinan

In Fall 2013, over 700 resident SOU students will move into beautiful new rooms. The huge residence hall and dining commons project is now officially underway. On this golden spring morning (April 27), we officially broke ground for the North Campus Village. It will be the largest construction project ever in Ashland.

The groundbreaking ceremony brought together SOU faculty, staff, and students as well as many of the folks who have made this public-private partnership come together—representatives from the Collegiate Housing Foundation, American Campus Communities, and Adroit Construction.  David West of our Native American Studies program provided a blessing.

Dignitaries included Ashland Mayor John Stromberg and Jackson County Commissioner Don Skundrick. We all donned hard hats and lifted golden shovels for the ceremonial breaking of ground.

The North Campus Village will be an extraordinary addition to our beautiful campus. Students are already asking if they can reserve rooms for Fall 2013!

The historical wisdom is that “it always rains on Pear Blossom day.” Well, sometimes it snows. Sure enough, when I left my house at 5:45 AM on Saturday (April 14), the rain was coming down steadily.

With great leadership from Marquis Malcom, Victor Chang, and others, a number of faculty, staff, and students have been training to make a strong SOU showing in Medford’s Pear Blossom 5K and 10-mile races. The training has been part of our Healthy Campus Initiative, a wide-ranging, ambitious project launched this past fall.

The rain had slowed to a misty drizzle by the time over 1,788 people had lined up for the 7 AM 5K. Before the race was over, the sky was almost blue. People ran, jogged, walked, pushed strollers, and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. (Treasa Sprague took this photo of four us: Sarah Kassel, Colin Bunnell, Larry Sprague, and me.)

Jogging rather than running, I finished in a little over 33 minutes. I came in first in my age group, over 10 minutes ahead of the person who came in second. However, I probably owe an apology to the whole group: somehow I was listed in the group aged 70-74.

The photo by Graham Lewis shows me with Gordon Roda, July 4th Committee Chair.

People sometimes ask me to describe a typical day as university president. I always say there IS no typical day. That answer (while true) sounds evasive, but truly every day really is unlike others.

Yesterday (April 12) provides an example. The middle of my day was filled with standard meetings—discussions of budgets, housing project, plans for Commencement, and so on. But the day was bookended with surprises and  new experiences.

In the early morning, I traveled to the Ashland Community Hospital for a meeting with the Ashland Chamber. There, amid discussions about the Fourth of July, they surprised me by saying I’d been named Grand Marshal for this year’s parade. Wow!

In the evening, I attended the awards ceremony for our wrestling team, hosted by Head Wrestling Coach Mike Ritchie.  I was pleased to be able to join Jon Eldridge in presenting one of the awards. I was also delighted to chat with friends, fans, and families connected to our wrestling program. But I was especially moved by the stories of four outstanding student wrestlers who talked about the significance of SOU’s wrestling program to their lives.

It was definitely a typically untypical day!

On my way back from upstate New York last week (March 30), I met up with Sylvia Kelly in Salt Lake City. We had arranged to have lunch with SOU alum Ty Burrell.

Our Commencement speaker in 2008, Ty has had a successful career in film and television. However, now he has become very well known (and much loved) for his portrayal of Phil, the goofy dad, in ABC’s Modern Family. (His SOU fans were delighted recently when he won an Emmy for that role.)

Sylvia and I had a wonderful lunch with Ty and discussed possible future events, interactions, and connections with students. He’s delightful—and a great friend of SOU.

As we said good-bye, we asked if we could have our photo taken with him.

On Saturday (March 24) I flew out of Medford at 6 AM, changed planes in Salt Lake and Detroit, landed in Burlington, Vermont, and was taken via car and ferry, at the end of a very long day, to Plattsburgh, New York.

In the 4^th grade, I remember reading a biography of Samuel de Champlain, writing a book report, and painstakingly drawing and coloring a map of Lake Champlain. So it was great to wake up on Sunday morning and see the still-wintry whitecaps of Lake Champlain out my window.

In fact, staying at the Valcour Conference Center, I could see the site of the Battle of Valcour Bay. In 1776, the rebel fleet under the command of Benedict Arnold took on the British navy in what is thought to be one of the first naval battles of the American Revolution.

I am chairing an accreditation team for the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, so my team members and I have convened from universities scattered throughout the region. (Having long ago made peace with the British, we have an accreditation team member who has joined us from Canada.)

For the next three days we will be immersed in our work on the campus. But it’s fun, at long last, to see the lake I drew so carefully when I was nine!

The Rogue River Room was crowded this afternoon (March 22) with representatives of local services clubs, including AAUW, Soroptimists, Kiwanis, Lions, and two Rotary Clubs; all gathered for the 39^th Annual Ashland Service Clubs’ Lunch. I’m always delighted that these folks come together on the SOU campus to share the good work they’re doing in our community.

This is a great opportunity to catch up with friends and learn about the myriad ways to support worthy causes in our region.

I appreciate, also, having an opportunity to update our luncheon guests on the progress of SOU, from record enrollments to our new residence hall project and upcoming lectures and events.

I was particularly pleased to tell the crowd that our students are as dedicated as our guests to the values of community service. Last year over 5,000 SOU students participated in service activities. For the fifth year in a row, SOU has been named to the President’s Honors Roll for civic engagement.

On Friday (February 24), 60 people gathered at 7 AM in Grants Pass to talk about libraries. Dull? Not at all! People were enthusiastic and energized.

The event was a community breakfast planned and sponsored by the Institutional Positioning Committee of the SOU President’s Advisory Board. Several times a year, we bring together a group of regional leaders to enjoy a hot breakfast and discuss a topic of interest.

We planned this session in collaboration with Josephine Community Libraries, Inc.  The presenter was our own Paul Adalian, Dean of the Hannon Library.

Paul entitled his presentation “What Can Libraries Do for Us in the 21st Century?”  He started by evoking memories: photos of impressive library buildings, walls of card catalogs, Shhh! signs, librarians keeping order and quiet.

Exterior of The Library of UC Berkeley

Then he asked us, “What’s the role of a university library now that we have Google?”

Not to worry. Google, he stressed, is not actually about learning. That’s what libraries are for.

Giving us a virtual tour of the Hannon Library, he showed both traditional books and an innovative digital learning environment. He showed us a library that functions as a place to study as well as a social and cultural center. He showed us a hub that engages students, faculty, staff, and the local community.

A quiet moment in the normally packed-with-students Hannon 3rd floor.

Paul’s presentation highlighted students gathered together, talking together, performing music together, (making noise!), working together, learning together. And he showed us a library engaged with a larger community

No, this isn’t the library that most of us knew as college students.

Isn’t that great?

The annual Raider Auction is one of SOU’s most inspiring and delightful events. On Wednesday night (November 16), the Riehm Arena was transformed into a moveable feast as folks from on and off campus gathered in support of SOU Athletics. While dining on delicacies from Beasey’s caterers, attendees wandered among tables lined with sports memorabilia, holiday gift baskets, and other silent auction items.

The out-loud auction offered getaways such as fishing and ski trips, a year’s worth of movie tickets, a hot air balloon ride, and the ever-popular President’s Skybox for watching home football games. Supporting student scholarships was an especially popular auction choice.

With so many SOU athletic teams excelling this fall, the Raider spirit was particularly strong. A good time was had by all—and our student athletes will benefit from this community’s generous support.

All photos by RW Balzer

The room was packed at Talent Middle School on the evening of October 22 as students and their families came to learn about “Pirates to Raiders,” a new partnership designed to open doors for Hispanic students.

The program forms an alliance with eighth-grade students, their families, the Phoenix-Talent School district, and SOU. Each member of the partnership agrees to participate in ensuring that these students take all the right steps over the next five years. If they do, they will be accepted to SOU.

Families are an integral part of Pirates to Raiders. They pledge to make sure their children regularly attend school; they support their students’ academic progress, attend Pirates to Raiders events with them, and ensure students complete the program.

SOU and the school district provide mentorship, access to scholarship and financial aid information, transportation to Pirates to Raiders events, and opportunities for students to learn about the university.

On that Thursday evening, students listened attentively as current SOU students spoke to them in Spanish about why coming to SOU has been so important to them and what goals they hope to reach.

I am very hopeful that the Pirates to Raiders program will be an inspiration and a gateway for students.

Gov. John Kitzhaber speaks to the audience at the Oregon University System symposium on Tuesday afternoon. (Amanda Cowan | Corvallis Gazette-Times - Click the image for the Gazette Times story)

On Tuesday (November 1) I joined leaders from around the state to discuss meeting Oregon’s 40-40-20 goal. The goal, signed into law by the governor last June, sets the state’s educational mission: by 2025, 40% of Oregonians will have a baccalaureate degree or higher; 40% will have an associate degree or post-high school training; and 20% will have a high school diploma. For the Oregon University System, that goal means increasing overall enrollment by 60% by 2025.

The meeting in Corvallis, put together by OUS, was titled “From Goal to Reality: Achieving 40-40-20 in Oregon.” Representatives from K-12, public and private universities, community colleges, Oregon tribes, and state agencies as well as state and local elected officials, discussed what this goal means and what it will take to get there.  Governor Kitzhaber spoke to us about bringing together the good work we’re all doing to meet this challenging “stretch goal.”

I moderated a panel examining promising practices and partnerships across sectors to help students get to college. I highlighted SOU’s recent agreement with the Phoenix-Talent school district. Mark Mulvihill, superintendent of InterMountain ESD, and John Turner, president of Blue Mountain Community College, outlined their work to create an Eastern Promise in partnership with Eastern Oregon University. Richard Lariviere discussed a number of partnerships between UO and local schools.

Everyone agreed that we’re doing excellent work in Oregon. But reaching 40-40-20 by 2025 goes beyond a standard “stretch goal.” It’s a breathtaking challenge for all of us.

The Art Affair is a delightful annual event that brings university and community members together to support SOU’s Schneider Museum of Art. This year’s event, on September 9, was particularly memorable as we celebrated the museum’s 25^th anniversary. Dining and dancing in the museum itself, we also honored descendants of Bill and Florence Schneider, who were instrumental in fundraising for our Center for the Visual Arts.  These are photos from that lovely evening.

This past Saturday and Sunday (October 1-2), I was up at Crater Lake for a Board meeting. I’m a member of the Crater Lake National Park Trust, an organization that partners with the National Park Service and also helps support the Classroom at Crater Lake.  Over the years, the Trust has successfully won grants and other support for our beautiful Oregon national park.

The weather was chilly but clear up there over the weekend. This year’s snows haven’t begun to fall—but last year’s snow hasn’t yet disappeared from the edge of the lake. From afar, the snow looked like fairly small white patches, but Park Superintendent Craig Ackerman told us that it was actually 10 feet deep. Summer didn’t arrive at Crater Lake until August this year.

On Sunday morning the Superintendent took us on the new Plaikni Trail that winds through tall trees and rocky outcrops to a lovely waterfall. In the photo, taken by Bill Thorndike, I am standing with Nancy Tait and Superintendent Ackerman.

This week, it looks like the weather will begin to turn at Crater Lake. This weekend was a gorgeous taste of the beautiful but fleeting autumn season.

The Lithia Raider Club Golf Shootout is an impressive fundraiser for SOU Athletics. Through the tremendous support of Lithia Motors and hard work of our Athletic folks, hundreds of folks gather in Medford for a dinner and golf tournament every year.

This year’s dinner took place on Monday (September 19). With 53 teams, the tournament kicked off with one tee time early in the morning on Tuesday and the second in the early afternoon at the Rogue Valley Country Club. Teams consisted of four players, with a fifth player typically being an SOU student, coach, faculty member, or administrator. As they do every year, our student athletes kept score, drove golf carts, and helped out with the tournament all day.

The tournament features sponsorship levels at $10,000, $5,000, $3,000, $2,000 and $1,500. This year a team costs $800 and individual players could play for $200.

I started taking golf lessons for the first time this summer and had never played 18 holes. However, I volunteered to be a fifth player—a wonderful exercise in humility!—and had a great time.

This year’s tournament was a huge success. It brought in over $196,000, breaking the previous record of just over $193,000, set back in 2007 when the economy was in better shape than it is now.

Just as importantly, folks from all over the country had a great time. They were delighted to meet us all, play some golf, and provide support for this terrific university.

Founders' Hall on the Augustana campus

I’ve been living out of a suitcase. A week ago Friday (June 17), I went up to Eugene for the quarterly Board meeting of the JPR Foundation. On Sunday I headed to Portland for the NAIA Council of Presidents’ meeting. And on Tuesday I flew to Canada for the annual meeting of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC).

COPLAC recently became an international organization when its membership expanded to include the University of Alberta, Augustana. Located in Camrose, Alberta, about an hour from Edmonton, Augustana is the liberal arts campus of the larger university. The drive from the Edmonton airport is beautiful: rolling prairie as lush as Oregon (since Alberta, too, has had a watery spring), with sheep, cows, horses, and even elk grazing in fields beside the road.

The setting was perfect for two days of academic conversation and exchanges of ideas. Presidents, provosts, deans, and faculty discussed issues pertaining to Honors programs, global education, undergraduate research, the digital environment—and the solstice. (In that northern city last week, it was bright daylight at 10 PM. . .  and again at 4 AM.)

It has been a productive and interesting week. But I was very glad to come home–and empty out my suitcase.

Several members of the Chancellor’s Office staff stayed up all night Wednesday (June 1) working on amendments to Senate Bill 242. This is the historic bill that changes the status of the Oregon University System from a state agency to a public university system.

At about 5:30 PM on June 2, the bill passed the Ways and Means Education Subcommittee. Following that meeting, the committee shut down and will remain on-call for the remainder of the legislative session. The bill moves on now to the full Ways and Means Committee and then to the House and Senate floors for a vote.  However, the very tough legislative work has been done. In previous conversations with Legislators and the Chancellor, the Governor has indicated he will sign the bill.

If all goes as planned, the OUS change of status will take place in January 2012. Some pieces of the transition will take longer than others; there is still a mountain of work to accomplish on the details of the transition.

Changing the status of a large institution like OUS takes the work of thousands of people. Students, faculty, staff, business supporters, and key legislators have worked incredibly hard to help our state universities acquire greater autonomy.

This change is not a magic bullet that will automatically bring stability and prosperity to our state’s universities. But it’s a huge step in the right direction.