SOU Campus News

Surprise speaker Tina Kotek at SOU Ashland commencement

Commencement surprise: Gov. Kotek addresses SOU graduates

(Ashland, Ore.) — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek surprised graduates and audience members by visiting Ashland to deliver the commencement address for Southern Oregon University’s class of 2025 on Saturday. The event – SOU’s 99th Commencement – marked the first time the governor has spoken at a graduation ceremony since taking office. “I know that young […]

SOU Ashland Spring Wellness Event

Highlights from SOU’s Spring Wellness Event

The Spring Wellness Event that was held recently at SOU transformed the lawn in front of Britt Hall into a hub of creativity, movement and community connection, with more than 30 students, staff and faculty taking time to prioritize their well-being during the busy end of spring term. Attendees at the event – hosted by […]

Faculty union and SOU Ashland extend contract

SOU and faculty union agree to extend contract

(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University and its faculty union have signed an agreement that will postpone bargaining on a new contract for 18 months, allowing the university to better navigate fiscal uncertainties at the state and federal levels. The current collective bargaining agreement with the Association of Professors of Southern Oregon University (APSOU) was […]

Elementary students from Kids Unlimited Academy visit SOU Ashland.

New SOU pathway program reaches into elementary schools

(Ashland, Ore.) — A Southern Oregon University Spanish instructor’s personal initiative has brought to campus more than 120 elementary school students from underserved backgrounds over the past month, offering the children an up-close look at college life and the opportunity to see themselves as future students in a post-secondary setting. The “Vision to the Future” […]

"Raising Aniya" by SOU Ashland's Chris Lucas

SOU professor presents “Raising Aniya” West Coast premiere at AIFF

SOU assistant professor of Digital Cinema Christopher Lucas will present the West Coast premiere of his feature documentary “Raising Aniya” at this year’s Ashland Independent Film Festival. “Raising Aniya” presents the story of Aniya Wingate, a young dance artist in Houston, Texas, who embarks on a journey to heal her spirit and find her voice […]

Brain Bowl participants during recent tournament at SOU Ashland

SOU offers 48th “Brain Bowl” for local students

Middle and high school students from throughout the Rogue Valley came together recently to participate in the 48th annual Southern Oregon Brain Bowl, a quizbowl tournament organized by the Youth Programs Office at Southern Oregon University. The annual Brain Bowl tournament is a fast-paced quiz competition in which teams from local schools compete to answer questions […]

Bill Thorndike passes away unexpectedly

SOU to host official memorial service for William Thorndike, Jr.

(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University will host a public gathering and celebration of the life of William Downie (Bill) Thorndike, Jr. – a prominent statewide civic servant, the university’s first board chair and recipient of SOU’s highest honor – on Sunday, April 27. Those who attend the event, at 1:30 p.m. in the SOU […]

SOU shows up at sustainability conference

SOU participants make a splash at regional sustainability conference

(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University students, staff and faculty made their presence felt at last week’s Washington Oregon Cascadia Higher Education Sustainability Conference (WOHESC) in Portland, where SOU participants shared the university’s stories of success in sustainability with peer institutions. The conference was hosted this year by Portland Community College and was attended by […]

new Inside SOU website

Look and feel of Inside SOU website to change

SOU students and employees will have a new user experience as they access features on the Inside SOU website beginning next week, when the university migrates from one platform to another. The new Inside SOU will have a more compact and easier-to-navigate layout, but will still offer secure access to most of the web-based information […]

Behavioral Health Initiative dialogue session

SOU embraces Behavioral Health Initiative

(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University took a step toward “Creating a Culture of Care” through a well-attended dialogue session with that title earlier this month. The wide-ranging discussion – with more to come – is one of the projects currently included in the university’s Southern Oregon Behavioral Health Initiative, funded last spring with a […]