SOU joins ranks of bike-friendly universities

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NEWS RELEASE
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University joined 163 other visionary colleges and universities around the country today when it was recognized as a Bicycle Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists.
SOU was recognized at the “silver” level of the league’s four-tiered system for bicycle-friendly designation. Only 23 institutions were recognized at the “platinum” or “gold” levels, while 46 received silver-level awards. Another 95 received “bronze” awards.
SOU’s ECOS Sustainability Resource Center first applied for bicycle-friendly designation three years ago, but fell just short of the list and received an honorable mention. This year’s designation follows a significant upgrade to the SOU Bike Program over the past two years: after receiving startup capital from the SOU Green Fund, the program has gone from six rental bicycles to a fleet of 42 Trek commuter bikes that are available to students for term-by-term rental. The program also hired a dedicated student bicycle mechanic and student program coordinator, and has developed programing and curricula to integrate bicycling into the campus culture.
“We hope to continue to build on the momentum of this new effort and expand our service to the SOU community,” said Joseph Stout, student coordinator of the SOU Bike Program.
Stout said he hopes to expand the program to include hands-on maintenance workshops for students, group rides and easily-available information about the environmental and health benefits of bicycling. “Our rental program is extremely popular and we are also working on bolstering and expanding this, to provide bikes for even more students,” he said.
The Bicycle Friendly University program is now in its fifth year. The League of American Bicyclists is leading a movement to create a “bicycle-friendly America.” The organization also sponsors Bicycle Friendly Community, Bicycle Friendly State and Bicycle Friendly Business programs.
“We applaud this round of Bicycle Friendly Universities for raising the standard and being innovative in making bicycling a safe, convenient and enjoyable option for students, staff and visitors alike,” said Bill Nesper, director of the league’s bicycle-friendly programs.
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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 Workshop to Help Small Business Owners

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NEWS RELEASE (online at https://goo.gl/jhw10V)
(Medford, Ore.) — An event to be offered this Friday in Medford will be aimed at local entrepreneurs who love creating and owning their businesses, but could benefit from improved understanding of their enterprises’ finances.
The Southern Oregon University Small Business Development Center (SOU SBDC) will present the workshop, “Understanding Financials for the Everyday Business Person.” Facilitators Jack Vitacco and Russ Kennedy will speak in down-to-earth terms that will increase participants’ confidence in managing their money and businesses.
The three-hour, interactive workshop will cover:

  • Why business owners must understand income statements, balance sheets and cash flow analysis
  • How to use financial statements to make intelligent business decisions
  • How to determine if a business is fiscally fit and sustainable

“The ‘Understanding Financials’ workshop is part of our ‘Fueling Up!’ series, where we offer in-depth information on topics our clients most often request,” says Jack Vitacco, SOU SBDC director. “Managing expenses and income are essential to the health of any business.”
The workshop will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Dec. 2 at the SOU Higher Education Center in downtown Medford. The investment is $40 for those applying for a scholarship made possible by Umpqua Bank (without a scholarship the fee is $75). Register online and download a scholarship application at sou.edu/sbdc/fuelingup.html
About Southern Oregon University Small Business Development Center
The SOU SBDC is partially funded by the Small Business Administration and the Oregon Business Development Department. In-depth and confidential, no-cost business advising services and affordable workshops, presentations and access to business resources are available.
SOU SBDC Director Jack Vitacco has worked with small business owners throughout his career. Areas of expertise include business start-up, marketing, sales, distribution and strategic planning. Russ Kennedy, an SBDC Business Advisor, was chief financial officer for various Silicon Valley businesses and is a former CPA. He has extensive experience in financial planning, business buy-outs, high-tech start-up companies, business planning and international finance.
For SOU SBDC information
Contact Simone Stewart, (541) 552-8300, stewartv@sou.edu or 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.

SOU in the News: Nov. 15 to Nov. 21

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SOU student, alumni, faculty and staff news and features
Chinook Observer of Long Beach, Wash. (Nov. 15) – Weather patterns in the Western U.S. have been a month ahead of the calendar for most of 2016, with the amount of rain and snow that fell during October anywhere from 150 percent to 400 percent of normal, according to Greg Jones, a wine climatologist at SOU. https://www.chinookobserver.com/co/local-news/20161115/western-weather-is-a-month-ahead-of-the-calendar
Estacada News (Nov. 17) – Prakash Chenjeri – an SOU professor of philosophy, program chair and Democracy Project co-director – will lead a Dec. 6 discussion in Estacada on human nature and technology; the event is sponsored by Oregon Humanities and the Estacada Arts Commission. https://www.pamplinmedia.com/en/30-news/332647-211010-around-town
Press Banner  of Scotts Valley, Calif. (Nov. 18) – Steve Walpole, who received his bachelor’s degree in criminology from SOU, was named interim police chief for Scotts Valley, Calif.; Walpole, who is currently a lieutenant for the Scotts Valley department, is also a candidate for the permanent police chief position. https://www.goldenstatenewspapers.com/press_banner/walpole-named-scotts-valley-interim-police-chief/article_6e38b090-ad69-11e6-9c4c-6ff1efb7db62.html
Cumberland Times-News of Frostburg, Md. (Nov. 18) – Joseph Yungen, who received his bachelor’s degree in piano performance at SOU, is featured in the faculty artist series at Frostburg State University, where Yungen is a member of the music faculty. https://www.times-news.com/news/slice_of_life/faculty-artist-series-features-pianist-joseph-yungen/article_7b64cc05-8150-53f5-9af7-725a3698edf7.html
KOBI-TV 10 and similar stories on KDRV-TV 12 and KTVL-TV 10 (Nov. 18) – About 600 prospective students attended Friday’s Preview Day at SOU, breaking the attendance record set a year ago and offering participants a look at the university (interviews with Joe Mosley, SOU public information officer; and both SOU and prospective students). https://kobi5.com/news/local-news/600-perspective-students-tour-sou-40453/
The Siskiyou (Nov. 21) – Tyler Takeshita – who ran for ASSOU vice president on the same ticket as ASSOU presidential candidate Colin Davis – takes over as student body president following Davis’ removal from office for procedural irregularities involving a back-to-school concert; Takeshita will frame Davis’ impeachment as a growing opportunity for the student government. https://siskiyou.sou.edu/2016/11/19/tyler-takeshita-takes-over-as-student-body-president/
News about SOU academic programs/strong>
Herald and News (Nov. 20) – The new Tribal Attendance Pilot Project (TAPP) at all Chiloquin schools includes sending students to Konaway Nika Tillicum, an eight-day academy at SOU that includes a range of classes, lectures, cultural experiences and recreational activities for Native American students. https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/local_news/tapp-ing-into-absenteeism-strategies/article_4f59b5a9-28ab-509a-ba4e-cad13e1792b5.html
News about fine and performing arts
Daily Tidings (Nov. 17) – Musica Matrix, a new collaboration that features Medieval-Renaissance music, has its inaugural performance; its board includes Stephen Bacon, conservator of the Jack Schuman collection of early instruments at SOU.
Mail Tribune (Nov. 20) – Five performances by SOU alumnus and recording artist John Nilsen count as one of seven seasonal offerings that are full of holiday songs. https://www.mailtribune.com/entertainmentlife/20161120/7-seasonal-shows-full-of-song
Mail Tribune (Nov. 21) – Austin Brayfield’s painting took on a new urgency after she was diagnosed with brain cancer; an exhibit that offers both pre- and post-diagnosis works is on display in SOU’s Marion Ady Building through Dec. 9. https://www.mailtribune.com/news/20161121/artists-work-changes-after-brain-cancer-diagnosis
Miscellaneous news
Daily Tidings (Nov. 16) – The Ashland Amigo Club’s second-annual Guanajuato Nights Dinner/Auction on Saturday night at the Ashland Elks Club is a fund-raiser for an endowment that supports an exchange program between SOU and the University of Guanajuato.
Mail Tribune and a similar story in the Daily Tidings (Nov. 19) – SOU men’s cross country team wins the NAIA National Championship, SOU women’s team places seventh. https://www.mailtribune.com/sports/20161119/raider-men-claim-second-national-title
‘OregonLive.com blog (Nov. 20) – SOU men’s cross country team named “Team of the Week” for Nov. 14-20 by the Cascade Collegiate Conference after winning the NAIA National Championship on Nov. 19. https://blog.oregonlive.com/cascadeconference/2016/11/southern_oregon_mens_cross_cou_5.html

Record number expected for SOU Preview Day

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(Ashland, Ore.) — About 600 high school students are expected to be on the Southern Oregon University campus on Friday (Nov. 18) for Preview Day, the institution’s main Fall Term college visitation event for prospective students.
Currently, the record number of Preview Day attendees is the 469 who visited during last year’s event.
Preview Day activities introduce students to various aspects of campus life, to the opportunities an SOU education can make available to them and to the people that make the university a special place. Prospective students will tour the campus and residence halls, meet with faculty in academic areas that are of most interest to them, explore resources and facilities, and dine on campus. 
All participants will take part in a session at the Music Recital Hall from 8:45 to 9:45 a.m. Music will be provided by SOU’s acclaimed Left Edge Percussion group; President Linda Schott will welcome the visitors; and Lee Ayers, director of the Undergraduate Studies Division, will discuss the university’s House Initiative – which offers opportunities for students to collaborate on big ideas in either the Green House or the Skeptic House.
Students will split into smaller groups for the remainder of the day for a variety of discussions, tours, faculty presentations, contests, workshops and informational sessions.
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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 in the News: Nov. 8 to Nov. 14

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SOU student, alumni, faculty and staff news and features
KDRV-TV 12 and similar story on KOBI-TV 5 (Nov. 7) – Counseling services through the SOU Student Health and Wellness Center are available for students who were affected by the murder of 20-year-old Avi Feldman at a house party early Sunday morning in Ashland.
https://kobi5.com/news/remembering-avi-feldman-39599/
The Press, Brentwood, Calif. (Nov. 7) – Mark Stoiber, director of the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, is a candidate for the Brentwood City Council. He received bachelor’s degrees from Southern Oregon University in business and economics. https://www.thepress.net/special/brentwood-city-council-race/article_ad25487c-96fd-11e6-8a4b-73fe95cacfea.html
News @ SOU (Nov. 8) – Jad D’Allura, An emeritus professor of geology at SOU, has been awarded a pair of two-year grants for geologic work in Oregon – including one to help create special-purpose maps that show geologic features of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. https://news.sou.edu/2016/11/sou-grants-inclu…ational-monument/
Mail Tribune (Nov. 8) – Dennis Slattery, an SOU business professor and member of the university’s Board of Trustees, won election to the same Ashland City Council seat he first won in 2010, then gave up two years later. https://www.mailtribune.com/news/20161108/voters-back-lemhouse-slattery-for-council
Jefferson Public Radio (Nov. 9) – Rogue Valley native Taylor Olson-Hill tells in a radio interview and a talk at SOU about her work at a refugee camp in Greece for displaced Syrians. https://ijpr.org/post/rogue-valley-native-reports-helping-syrian-refugees#stream/0
News @ SOU (Nov. 10) – Students from SOU’s Center for Sustainability will harvest bricks from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s “Green Show plaza” each of the next two Saturday so that the bricks can be reused in pathways at The Farm at SOU. https://news.sou.edu/2016/11/sou-students-to-…reuse-osf-bricks/
Mail Tribune (Nov. 10) – A relatively stress-free weather year has produced average yields and high-quality grapes throughout Oregon for the 2016 vintage, according to Greg Jones, an SOU environmental science professor. https://www.mailtribune.com/news/20161110/2016-harvest-report-reflects-good-year-for-wine-industry
The Siskiyou (Nov. 10) – ASSUO Student Body President Colin Davis was impeached and removed from office after it was determined in a Nov. 1 student government hearing that he violated procedures in planning this fall’s “Back 2 Class Bash;” Vice President Tyler Takeshita was elevated to ASSUO president. https://siskiyou.sou.edu/2016/11/10/davis-ballin-his-way-out-of-office/
KAJO Radio, Grants Pass (Nov. 11) – On Veterans Day, SOU is included in a list of Southern Oregon organizations that offer services to former members of the U.S. military (SOU’s Veterans Resource Center). https://www.kajo.com/news/local/stories.php?subaction=showfull&id=1478840007&ucat=2,4
KDRV-TV 12 (Nov. 11) – SOU revives a Homecoming Parade tradition that had been on hiatus since 1969, with a procession from the Lithia Park bandshell to “The Hawk” dining facility on campus.
News @ SOU (Nov. 11) – On Veterans Day at SOU, President Linda Schott will be among the speakers at a reception to recognize the 247 military-affiliated students on campus; veteran students Justin Jones and Chris Vorgang are honored in the online newsletter of the Colorado-based firm Innovative Educators. https://news.sou.edu/2016/11/veterans-and-the-sou-community/
Helena (Mont.) Independent Record (Nov. 13) – Angela Poole, the new manager of the Helena Civic Center, chose to get her education at Southern Oregon University – where she did stage management, costuming and lighting – so she could be close to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. https://helenair.com/entertainment/yourtime/angela-poole-has-her-dream-job-managing-the-helena-civic/article_b1598fea-a700-5705-b149-743301fadc00.html
News about SOU academic programs
Daily Tidings (Nov. 7) – Students in Adjunct Professor Tiffany Morey’s Criminology and Criminal Justice 241 class at SOU felt the heat in a series of “shoot, don’t shoot” scenarios based on real-life police incidents.
Coos Bay World (Nov. 11) – Mark Tveskov, an SOU anthropology professor, will discuss “The Archaeology of the Rogue River War” next April 15 as part of a geology lectures series at Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay. https://theworldlink.com/lifestyles/go/learn-about-estuary-circulation-and-coos-bay/article_49bc6c48-95c4-595f-b6f3-878dc008d5cc.html
Daily Tidings (Nov. 13) – Sara Antonuccio, a participant in the Democracy Project of the SOU Honors College, looks at the collaboration of science, democracy and citizenship during a visit to European Council for Nuclear Research’s CERN particle accelerator (Dispatches from Europe, SOU Honors College).
News about fine and performing arts
Mail Tribune (Nov. 8) – SOU’s Department of Performing Arts presents Bertold Brecht’s “The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui” – a satirical allegory about a Hitler-like figure trying to take over the cauliflower market. https://www.mailtribune.com/entertainment/20161108/sou-presents-the-resistible-rise-of-arturo-ui
Mail Tribune (Nov. 10) – A Rogue Valley production company made up of SOU alumni will make its first independent film in 2017 – a drama about a terminally ill young woman’s decision to end her life under Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act. https://www.mailtribune.com/news/20161109/emma-was-here-explores-death-with-dignity
KDRV-TV 12 (Nov. 9) – Bailey Aldrich, an SOU sophomore who is studying music education, is a contestant in the Nov. 12 Dancing with the Rogue Valley Stars, at North Medford High School.
BroadwayWorld.com/Sacramento (Nov. 9) – Darek Riley, who received his bachelor of fine arts degree in acting/performance from SOU, plays Robin Hood in Greg Banks’ adaptation of “Robin Hood” at Sacremento’s B Street Theatre. https://www.broadwayworld.com/sacramento/article/B-Street-Theatres-Family-Series-Presents-ROBIN-HOOD-by-Playwright-Greg-Banks-20161109#
Daily Tidings (Nov. 10) – A performance of American music by the Jefferson State Choral Coalition at SOU’s Music Recital Hall is among five live entertainment options for the weekend.
Mail Tribune (Nov. 11) – SOU’s production of “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” and the Jefferson State Choral Coalition’s “American Musical Experience” at the SOU Music Recital Hall are among five weekend options for live entertainment. https://www.mailtribune.com/entertainment/20161111/5-picks-for-live-entertainment
Daily Tidings and similar story in Mail Tribune (Nov. 11) – The Rogue Riverkeeper Wild & Scenic Film Festival was presented on Sunday at SOU’s Music Recital Hall. https://www.dailytidings.com/article/20161111/NEWS/161119946 and https://www.mailtribune.com/entertainmentlife/20161111/get-out-friday-nov-11
News about politics, policy and national trends impacting SOU and higher education:
KTVL-TV 10 (Nov. 9) – Several students contacted on the SOU campus were among the Rogue Valley residents who were upset about results of the Nov. 8 general election. https://ktvl.com/news/local/trumps-policies-may-not-affect-southern-oregon-immediately
Portland Business Journal (Nov. 9) – SOU President Linda Schott and the presidents of Oregon’s other six public universities issued a joint statement in the wake of Measure 97’s defeat to say they will work together to convince lawmakers that financial support for higher education should be among Oregon’s top priorities. https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2016/11/09/after-measure-97-failure-university-presidents.html
Miscellaneous news
Capital Press (Nov. 8) – Weather patterns in the Western U.S. have been a month ahead of the calendar for most of 2016, with the amount of rain and snow that fell during October anywhere from 150 percent to 400 percent of normal, according to Greg Jones, a wine climatologist at SOU. https://www.capitalpress.com/Nation_World/Nation/20161108/western-weather-is-a-month-ahead-of-the-calendar
Jefferson Public Radio (Nov. 9) – Theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss of Arizona State University visits the JPR studio for a 21-minute discussion of the universe prior to his two lectures at SOU as part of the university’s campus theme of “Shapes of Curiosity.” https://ijpr.org/post/lawrence-krauss-reports-dawn-time#stream/0
Mail Tribune and similar story in Corvallis Gazette-Times (Nov. 10) – Kevin Talbert, a retired SOU administrator, is filling the remainder of the term until January for State Sen. Alan Bates, who died Aug. 5; Republican Alan DeBoer won the seat in last week’s election, accounting for a one-seat loss statewide for Democrats. https://www.mailtribune.com/news/20161110/democrats-still-control-oregon-legislature-minus-bates-seat
Mail Tribune and Oregon Public Broadcasting (Nov. 11) – Students from SOU’s Center for Sustainability are harvesting brings from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Green Show Plaza for use in paths at The Farm in Ashland. https://www.mailtribune.com/news/20161111/the-bricks-at-osf-gets-facelift-more-seating and https://www.opb.org/news/article/oregon-shakespeare-festival-venue-construction-green-show/

Veterans and the SOU Community

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NEWS BRIEF
(Ashland, Ore.) — On Veterans Day, some pertinent notes about veterans and Southern Oregon University:

  • SOU’s Veterans Resource Office will host a Veterans Day Reception at noon today in the Rogue River Room of the Stevenson Union. Speakers will include SOU President Linda Schott.
  • A total of 247 of the 6,200 students at SOU this term are military-affiliated – primarily, either veterans or dependents who are eligible to receive veterans’ benefits. About 30 of them serve as cadets in SOU’s Army ROTC program. SOU also has a robust Military Science Program, which offers about 10 courses and serves in the neighborhood of 150 students per term.
  • Innovative Educators, a Colorado firm that supports academic and professional growth in higher education, honored four veteran students from around the U.S. in its online newsletter this week. Two of them – veteran U.S. Marine Corps infantryman Justin Jones and veteran U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chris Vorgang – are SOU students.

Here is what Innovative Educators said about Jones and Vorgang:
Justin Jones, Southern Oregon University 
Justin Jones is currently enrolled as a full time student at Southern Oregon University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Prior to this venture, Justin served as an infantryman in the United States Marine Corps supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Serving for a single enlistment, Justin received an honorable discharge after 4 years active duty. Currently, Justin is employed at the Veterans Resource Office at SOU where he assists fellow veterans in utilizing VA educational benefits. Future aspirations include attending graduate school at Portland State University with the desired goal of employment within the finance sector of the automotive industry. Justin also has a strong passion for flight and is hoping to earn his pilot’s license in the near future. In his free time, Justin enjoys long walks with his German Shepherd, Mattis.
Chris Vorgang, Southern Oregon University
Chris Vorgang was born in Anaheim, CA in 1983, but was raised in Medford, OR most of his life. After dropping out of college in 2004, Chris joined the Army and was trained as an Intelligence Analyst. He deployed twice to Iraq and implemented his training to triangulate cell phones. Chris spent the last three years of his eight-year enlistment in the Army at the Defense Intelligence Agency in D.C. as an Iraqi Security Forces Analyst contributing to the President’s Daily Brief. In 2011 he met his stunningly beautiful wife, Jill. After his military service, Jill followed him back to Medford where they began raising their daughter Scarlett, and three years later their son Ivan. Realizing he wanted to contribute to the Social Work field, he quit his job and returned to Southern Oregon University to finish his degree in Psychology and started working at the Veterans Resource Office (VRO) on campus. After his deployments he tended to avoid social situations and kept to himself. Fortunately, he started hanging out at the VRO more and more. It felt great to be around like-minded individuals that could understand how difficult the transition to civilian life can be. He now manages the VRO, and is able to certify student Veterans who want to pursue their educational goals. He realized that supporting Veterans was a passion of his. Chris is almost done with his Psychology degree, and is planning to attend Portland State University to pursue Social Work.
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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 Students to Harvest, Reuse OSF Bricks

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MEDIA ALERT
Who: Students from SOU’s Center for Sustainability
What: Harvesting bricks from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Green Show plaza
When: 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, and again on Saturday, Nov. 19
osf-courtyardWhere: Oregon Shakespeare Festival (brick plaza off Pioneer Street, between the Bowmer and Elizabethan theaters)
Why: The bricks will be reused, which is what the Center for Sustainability is all about (they’ll be used for pathways and other projects at The Farm at SOU, on Walker Street).
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 Grants Include Work at Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

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NEWS RELEASE
(Ashland, Ore.) — An emeritus professor of geology at Southern Oregon University has been awarded a pair of two-year grants for geologic work in Oregon – including one to help create special-purpose maps that show geologic features of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.
jad_dallura_pilot_rock_csnm_img24114eb1bb9bc0fdccJad D’Allura, Ph.D., a retired faculty member from the former geology department at SOU, received the grants in his capacity as an “adopted” member of the university’s Department of Chemistry – where he teaches the course, “Metals and Civilization (Ch 330)” each winter term.
The first of the grants is a $15,500 award from the Bureau of Land Management, which is working through the non-profit group Friends of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. The purpose is to support geologic mapping of the 86,774-acre Monument, which sits at the intersection of the Cascade, Klamath and Siskiyou mountain ranges and has an assortment of unique geologic features.
Work done under the 2016-17 grant will include placing data accumulated over the past 25 years into a usable Geographic Information System (GIS) format so that it can be used for planning and scientific purposes. The grant will also support the analysis of water samples for inorganic materials by a SOU chemistry student, who will be supervised by chemistry Professor Steven Petrovic.
The second, separate grant for $9,500 is from the Oregon Water Resources Department and will support geologic research on various geologic units. The work will help determine the effects of different geologic substrates on water flow and retention.
-SOU-
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: Nov. 1 to Nov. 7

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SOU student, alumni, faculty and staff news and features
Oregon Wine Press (Nov. 1) – The current year will represent the third in a string of warm vintages for Oregon wine grapes, which were harvested beginning in August rather than the traditional September time period (interview with SOU’s Greg Jones, who studies the dynamic between climate and wine grapes). https://www.oregonwinepress.com/august-rush
Oregon Wine Press (Nov. 1) – Stephen Reustle of Reustle-Prayer Rock Winery planted Grüner Veltliner grapes in his Umpqua Valley vineyard after consulting climatologist Greg Jones of SOU about the property’s heat unit accumulation. https://www.oregonwinepress.com/gruner-the-great
Jefferson Public Radio (Nov. 1) – An essay by the producer of the Jefferson Exchange call-in program at SOU’s Jefferson Public Radio; a disproportionate number of men are callers to the program, but a recent segment guest-hosted by SOU’s Marjorie Trueblood-Gamble attracted more women callers than usual. https://ijpr.org/post/hi-there-you-re-air#stream/0
Mail Tribune (Nov. 5) – Crater High School drama director Matthew Reynolds and Rogue River High’s Kelly Gibson, who connected when both were in SOU’s Master of Theatre Studies Program, collaborated for their students’ 24 Hour Play Cabaret event.
Jefferson Public Radio (Nov. 7) – SOU’s Department of Performing Arts brings to life Bertold Brecht’s “The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui” – about a Hitler-like figure trying to monopolize the cauliflower market. https://ijpr.org/post/mon-830-hitler-look-alike-found-stage#stream/0
News about SOU academic programs
Daily Tidings (Nov. 3) – Dylann Lovero, a participant in the Democracy Project of the SOU Honors College, looks at the historical and contemporary roles of women in Europe’s political decision-making (Dispatches from Europe, SOU Honors College).
KDRV-TV NewsWatch 12 (Nov. 3) – Students in Tiffany Morey’s Criminology and Criminal Justice 241 class at SOU each got a taste of being a police officer in a life-and-death situation, with a series of “shoot, don’t shoot” scenarios based on real-life incidents.
News about fine and performing arts
Daily Tidings (Nov. 3) – Galleries open late for First Friday art walk (“Art on Paper: 10 Women Artists” and six exhibits by students, faculty, alumni and community members are among the SOU events included in the monthly art walk).
Daily Tidings (Nov. 3) – Soprano Deborah Voigt and a concert of arias at SOU among five live entertainment options.
The Siskiyou (Nov. 7) – SOU showing of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” was one for the books – more for the audience’s theatrics than for the movie itself. https://siskiyou.sou.edu/2016/11/03/rocky-horror-rocks-campus/
News about politics, policy and national trends impacting SOU and higher education:
Times Higher Education (Oct. 17) – Academic research is in crisis in much of the Middle East and North Africa due to security concerns and poor infrastructure, according to scholars in 14 Arab countries (Ken Kempner, professor emeritus of education and international studies at SOU, co-wrote the paper on which the story is based). https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/arab-research-in-crisis-due-to-regions-growing-instability
Jefferson Public Radio (Nov. 1) – The films “Elementary Genocide,” parts one and two, by filmmaker and activist Raheim Shabazz, screened this week at SOU. https://ijpr.org/post/documenting-school-prison-pipeline#stream/0
KOBI-TV 5 (Nov. 1) – A presentation in Ashland on implicit bias – immediate reactions to people based on factors such as race, gender, religion or income – was led by SOU Director of Diversity Marjorie Trueblood-Gamble. https://kobi5.com/news/implicit-bias-education-in-ashland-39253/
Daily Tidings (Nov. 3) – SOU’s Native American Student Union is among local groups that raised money and materials to support protests against the Dakota Access Pipe Line near the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota.
KTVL-News 10 (Nov. 2) – The Jackson County clerk recommends that voters submit their ballots only at official ballot drop boxes, but the Oregon Student Association maintains an unofficial drop box at SOU’s Stevenson Union to make voting more convenient for students who may not drive or have stamps. https://ktvl.com/news/local/jackson-county-urges-voters-to-not-use-ballot-delivery-services
Oregon Business (Nov. 3) – Warm Springs Ventures, a business arm of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, envisions a tribal economy powered by engines of commerce including cannabis; tribe member Brent Florendo, native nations liaison for SOU, says housing, health and education on the reservation all have suffered, but “something good is finally happening.” https://www.oregonbusiness.com/article/item/17304-pot-gamble
Miscellaneous news
The Preface at Indiana University South Bend (Oct. 31) – IU South Bend Chancellor Terry Allison, who was one of three finalists earlier this year for the president’s position at SOU, told the student newspaper that he is committed to remaining at the Indiana campus despite his candidacy last month for another presidential post. President Linda Schott was hired as the top choice for the SOU position. https://iusbpreface.net/2016/10/31/chancellor-staying-put/
MagicValley.com Idaho (Nov. 6) – High school seniors in south-central Idaho had various plans as they worked on admissions paperwork during College Application Week; 18-year-old Kelsi Cox, who wants to become a teacher, is considering some Idaho schools along with Southern Oregon University and Virginia’s James Madison University. https://magicvalley.com/news/local/education/is-idaho-s-college-initiative-working/article_e00e7957-109c-5dc2-b152-924e7a9cfd50.html
Daily Tidings (Nov. 6) – Lawrence Krauss, director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University and an internationally known physicist and author, will take participants on a pair of intellectual adventures when he offers public lectures Wednesday and Thursday nights at Southern Oregon University.

SOU’s Francie Bostwick honored by OCTM – Nov. 4

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NEWS BRIEF
(Ashland, Ore.) — Francie Bostwick, an associate professor of mathematics at SOU, has been awarded the Oregon Council of Teachers of Mathematics Area Recognition Award for her leadership and service in the mathematics education community.
bostwick_francie_optimizedBostwick teaches both lower-division and upper-division courses for SOU students who are studying to become mathematics teachers, and also supervises and assists middle and high school math teachers in Southern Oregon. She was nominated for the award by Medford math teacher Sarah Dalton and Grants Pass math teacher Elaine Rozell.
Bostwick received her masters of education degree from Grand Canyon University in 1994 and a double-major bachelor’s degree in mathematics and psychology from the University of Arizona in 1990. She was a public school math teacher for 15 years before joining the SOU faculty.
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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.