Memorial Day Reflection and Remembrance on Wednesday

SOU Memorial Day event commemorates fallen service members

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Southern Oregon University will observe Memorial Day during a commemoration event on Wednesday, May 25, honoring the men and women of our military branches who have died in service to the nation.

The SOU Reflection and Remembrance Ceremony will be from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Rogue River Room, located on the main floor of the Stevenson Union. SOU President Rick Bailey, Jr., an Air Force veteran, will be the keynote speaker.

“We have two days that honor military service – Memorial Day and Veterans Day – that are commonly confused,” said Jesse S. Watson, Ph.D., SOU’s equity coordinator for veterans & military families. “Memorial Day is the opportunity to honor the lives and sacrifices of fallen service members, while Veterans Day is a day to recognize our living military veterans.

“Military service is an oath that each individual upholds but I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the collective sacrifice of each member’s support network,” Watson said. “Countless loved ones mourn their loss, celebrate their dedication and honor their call to service.”

The Memorial Day Reflection and Remembrance Ceremony is an opportunity for the campus community and Rogue Valley neighbors to come together to remember those who have laid down their lives in service and to lift up those loved ones who carry their loss each day. All are welcome to attend the ceremony.

For more information, please visit: sou.edu/veterans.

low tuition rate increase approved

SOU Board of Trustees approves low tuition rate increase for second year in a row

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(Ashland, Ore.) — The Southern Oregon University Board of Trustees agreed today with a recommendation from the university’s Tuition Advisory Council and President Rick Bailey, Jr., for tuition rates in the 2022-23 academic year to increase by $8 per credit hour for resident undergraduate students. The new rates were approved following a lengthy, collaborative process involving students, faculty and staff members, and came just a year after the university enacted its lowest tuition rate increase in recent memory – just $5 per credit hour.

SOU’s tuition rates will remain among the lowest of Oregon’s seven public universities, and the increase approved today for the coming year ranks near the middle of increases ranging from 3.19 to 7 percent that have been approved or proposed at the other schools for 2022-23.

Undergraduates from Oregon will pay $209 per credit hour at SOU, up from $201 this year – an increase of 3.98 percent, following last year’s increase of 2.55 percent. Residents of 16 Western states and territories that are part of the Western Undergraduate Exchange will pay $314, up from $301.50; and other non-resident undergraduates will pay $617, up from $597. SOU’s tuition rates for graduate students from Oregon will increase to $525 per credit hour, up from $505; non-resident graduate students will pay $630, up from $610.

“These tuition rates are the result of a very thoughtful process, and based on many months of analysis by our students, working alongside faculty and staff members,” said Daniel Santos, chair of the SOU Board of Trustees. “The Tuition Advisory Council members very clearly understand the needs of students and the university, and I appreciate them finding this balance between the costs of a high-quality education and affordability for our students.”

The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the rates recommended by SOU’s Tuition Advisory Council, which met eight times and is made up of students, faculty and administrators. President Bailey reviewed the council’s recommendations and forwarded them to the trustees.

SOU has committed to keeping higher education within the reach of all students and prospective students, and strives to offset any tuition increases with opportunities for institutional aid – particularly for those who are least able to afford additional costs. The university has also implemented measures to reduce student expenses for textbooks, and to maintain affordable room-and-board costs for those who live in residence halls.

“All students who want to improve their lives through higher education should absolutely have the opportunity to do so on our campus,” President Bailey said. “We are committed to innovations that will change the current funding model, which relies almost entirely on tuition revenue from students and funding from the legislature. With creative endeavors, over time, we can relieve the dependence on both.

“We are actively pursuing a variety of other revenue sources for SOU, and those could prove to be transformational for our students and the institution. In the meantime, we must do our best to balance the academic and financial interests of our students.”

The state paid for two-thirds of its universities’ operating budgets 30 years ago and tuition covered the remaining third. The ratio is now exactly opposite.

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New grant for prior learning credits

Arbor Day of Service celebrates SOU’s Tree Campus USA certification

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The  SOU Student Sustainability Team and the Tree, Bee and Bird Committee will host a community-wide Arbor Day of Service on April 29 – an opportunity for hands-on volunteer work, connection with others who have an interest in sustaining the environment and a free lunch.

Volunteer check-in and lunch will be from 12:30 to 1:20 p.m. in the Stevenson Union, outside the Rogue River Room. Upon check-in, volunteers will sign up for tasks including sustainable campus beautification, construction of pollinator gardens, maintenance of the SOU Community Garden and – you guessed it – tree planting.

Lunch will feature food that qualifies under the Real Food Challenge (an initiative to provide food that is ecologically sound, humane, fair, or local/regionally sourced). Joseph Whitney, who heads the initiative, will speak alongside student sustainability coordinator Elizabeth Adkisson and David West, an enrolled citizen of the Potawatomi Nation and director emeritus of Native American Studies.

Groups will split off at 1:30 p.m. to join the SOU landscaping Team on campus, go to the SOU Farm with the Pollinator Club or head to the SOU Community Garden. Each group will hear from local experts about tree care, pollinators or gardening.

SOU celebrates Arbor Day as part of its Tree Campus certification. The university was recognized in December of 2021, for the seventh year in a row, as a Tree Campus. The national Tree Campus USA program was founded by the Arbor Day Foundation to honor college and university campuses that effectively manage the trees on their campuses, connect with the community to promote healthy urban forest management, and have student bodies that are actively involved in environmental stewardship. There are currently 402 campuses across the nation with this recognition.

Arbor Day has been celebrated by more than 44 countries beginning in 1594, and 45  states in the U.S. since 1872. It was established as a day to honor trees and the vital role they play in the world. Did you know that one large tree can provide a day’s supply of oxygen for as many as four people? Trees also provide natural temperature regulation, water, air and soil pollution reduction, and stress relief for students and faculty on campus.

Day of Service participants will reciprocate that generosity by Mother Earth by putting their hands in the dirt and planting.

SOU’s Arbor Day observance was cancelled due to COVID-19 in 2021, so organizers are ready to make the 2022 SOU Arbor Day of Service one of the most enriching, impactful and fun events of the year. Those who are interested are urged to tell their friends, post on social media, and get the word out to anyone in the community to let them know they are invited to make a tangible and lasting impact on the local landscape. The event is open to the community.

Advanced registration is requested; those who wish to join for the volunteer lunch please fill out the form https://southernoregonuniversity.formstack.com/forms/arborday_2022 by April 26.

Story by the Student Sustainability Team, SOU Social Justice and Equity Center

SOU's Earth Day Extravaganza will highlight Earth Month

SOU Earth Month features Earth Day Extravaganza and more

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Southern Oregon University and community partners are offering an “Earth Day Extravaganza” and a packed schedule of events during the last two weeks of April in observation of Earth Month 2022. Opportunities to learn, take action and celebrate will take place both on campus and in the community April 19 through 29.

Environmental and social sustainability are among SOU’s core institutional values, and the events offered by the Social Justice and Equity Center’s Student Sustainability Team will highlight SOU’s contributions in these areas and offer opportunities to get involved in making a difference. Campus events will include a free screening of the film “Necessity 2: Climate Justice and the Thin Green Line,” the Light Up Your Bike Night Ride and Workshop, the Earth Day Extravaganza and the Arbor Day of Service. All of SOU’s events are free and open to the public.

Events hosted by community organizations include the Bear Creek Stewardship Day, Earth Day celebrations at the Ashland Food Co-op and Temple Emek Shalom, the Run Wild Ashland Color Dash and the Rogue Valley Bike Swap.

Details on the full Earth Month line-up are available online.

SOU’s Earth Day Extravaganza will be held this year from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on April 22, in observation of the 52nd Earth Day. The Student Sustainability Team (formerly ECOS) has been hosting a similar version of the event for more than 20 years – historically, in the Stevenson Union courtyard. The Student Sustainability Team is moving the event to The Farm at SOU to help fill a void that was left when the Rogue Valley Earth Day event, traditionally held at the neighboring ScienceWorks, was discontinued.

The SOU Earth Day Extravaganza has adopted some of the more popular features of Rogue Valley Earth Day, in partnership with the event’s past organizers – including educational exhibits by more than 30 sustainability and social justice-minded organizations and businesses; the Earth Day Ecoquest, in which participants of all ages can complete activities to earning prizes; and musical performances by campus and community groups including the SOU Salsa Band, the Creek Side Strings and Elbow Room Taiko. Other additions include mini-workshops hosted by students from SOU’s Environmental Education master’s degree program, farm and art tours, lawn games, crafts and food trucks.

ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum will be extending its hours on the day of the event to 6:30 p.m., and will also offer free admission that afternoon.

Guests are asked to walk, bike, carpool or take a bus to the Earth Day Extravaganza, to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit parking congestion. Limited on-site parking is available in the ScienceWorks parking lot and overflow parking at Willow Wind Community Learning Center is also available. Guests that walk, bike, take a bus or carpool to the event can stop by the Rogue Valley Transportation District (RVTD) exhibit to receive bonus Ecoquest tokens to be used toward Ecoquest prizes.

SOU’s Earth Day Extravaganza is made possible by contributions from campus and community sponsors, including Café Mam Organic Coffee, the SOU Social Justice and Equity Center, Sustainability at SOU, the SOU Environmental Science and Policy Program, True South Solar, the Ashland Food Co-op, Southern Oregon Climate Action Now and many other partner organizations.

Please visit the Earth Day Extravaganza website for more information.

SOU News Podcast: Faculty Spotlight on Perrow

SOU and faculty union agree to four-year contract

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University and its faculty union have come to terms on a new, four-year collective bargaining agreement. The contract is the result of a collaborative process that ultimately addressed faculty concerns related to pay equity and job security while also recognizing the university’s financial condition.

The university and Association of Professors of Southern Oregon University (APSOU) agree it is critical to now focus on the student academic experience.

“We all share a deep commitment to our students,” said Susan Walsh, SOU’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. “This agreement allows us to move forward together in service to our students and the community.”

APSOU, the union that represents SOU faculty members, sent the contract to its members and it was ratified late last week.  The university and APSOU finalized their proposed agreement two weeks ago, following a declaration of impasse by the union.

Walsh – who has served the university for more than 30 years as professor, department chair and now SOU’s top academic administrator – joined the final stage of bargaining to urge unity. She said that all university employees – faculty, staff and administrators – have contributed in many ways to keep SOU financially viable despite enrollment declines, the region’s wildfires, the COVID-19 pandemic and an uneven economy.

“Our collective ability to deal with challenges often comes from the recognition that we must always keep what is best for our students at the center of all of our decisions,” Walsh said. “When it comes to a commitment to student success, there is no question that we are all on the same page.”

The new collective bargaining agreement starts with a 1 percent guaranteed minimum raise for the remainder of the current academic year. The contract provides for guaranteed minimum salary increases of 2.5 percent beginning next academic year, and then 2 percent for each of the two following years, as well as annual salary adjustments, based on years in rank, of as much as 2 percent. The university will continue to pay 95 to 97 percent of faculty members’ medical, dental, vision and life insurance benefits.

The agreement, which took effect upon ratification, will run through August 2025.

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SOU approaches COVID as endemic

SOU shifts to endemic approach on COVID-19

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University announced this week that its COVID-19 policies will shift from a pandemic footing to an endemic approach, emphasizing safety and caution as changes are made in practices such as masking, quarantines and restrictions on campus visitors.

Masks will not be required either indoors or outdoors at SOU beginning March 19, the day after winter term ends, but those who prefer to wear masks for their own safety are welcomed and encouraged to do so. President Rick Bailey told students and employees in a campus message on Monday that N95 masks will continue to be made available for their use in most campus buildings.

“As you know, Southern Oregon University has been a role model in the way we have fought to keep each other safe and healthy despite the challenges of the pandemic,” Bailey said. “We recognize that COVID may not disappear anytime soon, but we feel we can safely return to largely normal operations by exercising caution and following the advice and recommendations of scientific and public health experts.”

SOU’s vaccination policy will remain in effect – students and employees are still required to attest that they have received all CDC-recommended COVID vaccines and boosters, or that they have been granted medical, religious or other exemptions. New students will be required to attest that they are fully vaccinated or apply for exemptions. Compliance with the policy will be monitored by randomly selecting students to show proof of their vaccination status.

The most significant change to the vaccination policy is that guests and visitors to campus for indoor or outdoor events will no longer be required to show proof of their status. Mandatory weekly testing for students or employees who have been granted exemptions under SOU’s vaccination policy will be discontinued as of March 12, and the isolation period for those who test positive for COVID-19 will be reduced to five days, from the 10 days now required, bringing SOU in line with current recommendations from the CDC.

President Bailey pointed out in Monday’s announcement that all changes to the university’s policies “may be subject to further revision depending on evolving conditions.” The latest modifications were recommended by the university’s COVID-19 Advisory Committee, with input from local, state and federal health authorities.

“The guiding principle of that group, and of our university, is that the health and safety of students, employees and community members will always be our highest priority,” Bailey said.

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SOU prepares for transformational change to software infrastructure

SOU to begin “transformational” shift in tech infrastructure

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University is heading into the first stages of a transformational change to its primary operational software that will result in far-reaching improvements for both students and employees.

Students will see streamlined registration options, an adaptable academic planner, and an integrated and effective mobile app. Employees will juggle fewer systems and see modernized workflows with increased automation, improved analytics and better security.

The university recently completed an assessment of Banner, its core information system, and will move to Workday. The SOU Board of Trustees approved this transition last month, and the university will begin shifting its systems this summer, with full implementation expected to take several years.

SOU’s current contract for Banner’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Student Information System (SIS) will expire in late 2024. The university’s goal is to begin the shift to Workday by July of this year, with new modules for human resources, payroll and finance fully implemented one year later. The shift to Workday’s student module will then begin, with that implementation schedule expected to take another two years.

The transformation will affect how students register for and view courses. Workday will be their primary platform to create academic plans, manage financial aid and perform other necessary functions throughout their academic careers. Many of those functions will be accessible via Workday’s comprehensive mobile app.

Workday will become the main application for managing employee information and benefits, along with institutional functions such as accounting, budgeting and finance. It will become the primary portal through which the registrar will schedule and manage courses, and where faculty members and advisors will view and edit students’ transcripts and course progress.

SOU will vet and hire an implementation firm within the next month or two to help manage and guide the university through the lengthy and complex process.

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February food drive time at SOU

It’s February – food drive time at SOU

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It’s February, and at Southern Oregon University that means it’s time to support students who may have issues with food insecurity. President Rick Bailey recently appealed to SOU employees to donate this month during the Governor’s State Employee Food Drive, in which all food and funds gathered at SOU support the Student Food Pantry’s operations throughout the year.

SOU employees, alumni, families of students and community members all contribute generously to the annual food and fundraiser, demonstrating that the SOU community cares deeply about eliminating student hunger on campus.

The Student Food Pantry is an important resource for many SOU students. In the 2020-21 academic year, while classes were entirely remote, 113 individual students were served by the SOU Food Pantry.

“I use the Food Pantry once a week,” one student said in a survey last year of Food Pantry users. “The pick-up process is so easy that it makes getting supplemental food not scary or embarrassing.

“I have been able to focus more on my school work since I have been using the food pantry, as I no longer have to worry about having enough to eat to sustain me during the week.”

There are three ways to participate in this year’s food drive:

Donate Money: Anyone can make a one-time donation by visiting https://giving.sou.edu/food-pantry/. SOU employees are able to sign up for a monthly payroll contribution to provide ongoing support for the SOU Student Food Pantry. Donations of any size are appreciated. Employees are encouraged to take the “Governor’s Challenge” to donate $12 per month, or $144 for the year.

Fill-the-Bin Building Competition: Each SOU building has a collection bin for donating non-perishable food items. Red “food drive” bags are available at the bins, and employees should be on the lookout for detailed instructions in their campus mailbox. The building with the largest donation, by weight, wins the competition. Barrels will be collected and weighed on Friday Feb. 25.

Attend the Food Pantry Benefit Concert: Join SOU Music students for their free, annual fundraising event at the SOU Music Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8. SOU students collaborate and produce this free community concert with the goal of raising awareness of college student hunger needs. Admission is FREE with either a monetary or non-perishable food donation – all to benefit the SOU Student Food Pantry. Click here for more information.

The Student Food Pantry is one of many resources available to students facing financial difficulties. Any student facing food insecurity or a financial emergency is encouraged to first file an SOU Cares Note and someone from the Office of the Dean of Students can help access various financial and other assistance. In addition, the Basic Needs Resources website has a comprehensive list of other available resources. These include information about virtual assistance for students with a representative from the Oregon Department of Human Services, setting up an appointment with SOU’s new Campus Benefits Navigation Manager, SNAP benefits eligibility, and listings of rental, utility, transit, internet, food and other assistance options.

In addition to the formal resources available at SOU, there are many other ways the SOU community helps support and resource students facing financial difficulties. From staff and faculty stocking informal “snack stations” in various campus buildings, to advisors and employees submitting Cares Notes and referring students to resources, the SOU community cares about eliminating student hunger.

For more information and details on the February Food Drive please visit www.sou.edu/fooddrive.

Native American Program

SOU Native American Program to co-host vaccination clinics

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Southern Oregon University’s Native American Program is partnering with the local Natives of One Wind Indigenous Alliance to offer free COVID-19 vaccination clinics in February and March for anyone 5 years of age or older, and currently eligible for shots or boosters. There will even be free dinners for participants.

The clinics will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. this Friday, Feb. 11, and again on Friday, March 11, in Parking Lot 36, across South Mountain Avenue from the SOU Music Building.

Each clinic will offer vaccinations and boosters from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, supplied by the Oregon Health Authority. Dinners at this month’s event will be from the Tacos de Volada Food Truck, and paid for by the OHA and other involved organizations.

The vaccination project came together after the OHA reached out to SOU’s Native American Programs – which includes the Native American Studies program, Native American Student Union, Native Nation Liaison, Native American Advisory Council, Collins Collection, First Nations Collection and Konaway Nika Tillicum. Native American Programs then partnered with the Natives of One Wind Indigenous Alliance, which is itself a collaboration of the Red Earth Descendants and the UNETE Center for Farm Worker Advocacy.

Vaccines will be available for SOU students, employees and community members – anyone eligible for vaccination or booster shots. The free dinners are intended as a means of encouraging vaccination and reaching underserved populations with health information.

Those with questions about the clinics can contact Brook Colley, chair of SOU’s Native American Studies program, at colleyb@sou.edu.

Late wrestling coach leaves $3 million to SOU

Late wrestling coach leaves largest-ever gift to SOU

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Legendary Southern Oregon University wrestling coach Bob Riehm’s influence at SOU and within the wrestling program will continue in perpetuity, with a $3 million donation from his estate announced today that ranks as the largest-ever single gift to the university.

The bequest was announced by the university and his surviving sisters at a celebration of life held earlier today for Riehm, who passed away in November 2020. A third of the gift will endow the men’s wrestling head coach position at SOU, which will be named for Riehm, and two-thirds will fund scholarships for the team’s wrestlers.

“Bob Riehm inspired excellence from his student-athletes during his hall of fame career,” said SOU President Rick Bailey. “He was an exceptional leader, coach and mentor, and we are honored to celebrate his legacy today and into the future.”

Riehm, who died at age 83, coached the school’s wrestling program for 25 years beginning in 1969, winning three national championships and mentoring 100 NAIA All-Americans. He compiled a 270-71-2 career record and has been inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame, the Oregon Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the SOU Sports Hall of Fame.

“As a coach and mentor, Coach Riehm made an immeasurable impact on the lives of so many student-athletes who came through his program,” SOU Athletic Director Matt Sayre said. “His legacy, first and foremost, will always be that. This gift’s significance is an enduring reminder of his commitment to SOU, the sport of wrestling, our student-athletes and coaches. He will continue to be a positive and tangible contributor to the development of them all.”

Riehm’s first Southern Oregon team went 7-7 in dual matches, but his Raiders teams never again came close to a losing record. His ninth season, in 1977-78, brought the school’s first-ever national title. His team won another title five years later, in an undefeated season capped by back-to-back wins over the University of Oregon and Oregon State University. His team won a third NAIA championship in the 1993-94 season, his last as head coach.

The gymnasium inside SOU’s former McNeal Pavilion was named Bob Riehm Arena in 2011, at the conclusion of a fund drive in his honor that raised more than $100,000 for scholarships and equipment. Riehm Arena, now in Lithia Motors Pavilion, continues to serve as the center of competition for the university’s men’s and women’s wrestling teams.

Riehm was born in Britt, Iowa, and wrestled at the University of Iowa, where he graduated in 1960.

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