Recent SOU graduate’s capstone project is documentary on opiate addiction

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NEWS RELEASE (video news release available at https://youtu.be/36GBjVPPOxM)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Kyle Simpson’s journey from enrollment to graduation has been a little longer and more difficult than those of most Southern Oregon University students. He spiraled into an opioid addiction during his first two years, left school and was arrested after returning home to Southern California.
Kyle has now been sober for three years and graduated from SOU in December with a bachelor’s degree in communication. His capstone project – a culminating, multi-term academic assignment – is a short documentary titled “Junk,” which shines a light on Southern Oregon’s opiate epidemic through the lens of a recovered addict.
The documentary was produced in cooperation with SOU’s Community of Recovery in Education (CORE) program, which supports and promotes the academic success, recovery and well-being of SOU students recovering from addiction.
“Junk” will screen on Tuesday, April 11, at Meese Auditorium in the SOU Center for the Visual Arts. The event will begin with a short reception at 6:30 p.m., and the film screening at 7 p.m. A panel discussion featuring five key members of the Rogue Valley’s recovery community will follow the documentary.
An SOU video news release features clips of Kyle describing his project. Media outlets may use all or edited portions of the news release in their news products. The video news release is also available upon request in mp4 format.
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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 archaeologist featured in new book as role model for girls

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NEWS RELEASE (online at https://goo.gl/36Zavo)
(Ashland, Ore.) — As a child growing up in Northern California, Chelsea Rose loved exploring outside and getting her hands dirty. Rose, a research archaeologist at Southern Oregon University, now finds herself in a position to serve as a role model to young girls interested in science, and she encourages them to do what led her to archaeology.
“My advice is to be curious, be brave, ask lots of questions and never pass up an opportunity to get your hands dirty,” Rose says.
She is one of three U.S. archaeologists featured in a new book, “Archaeology: Cool Women Who Dig,” which is aimed at 9- to 12-year-old girls who enjoy looking for clues about life in the distant past. The book, by California author Anita Yasuda, is scheduled for publication April 11 and is available to order now on Amazon.com.
Twenty pages of the 106-page book are devoted to telling the stories of how Rose became an archaeologist and some of her archaeological projects. Rose says she was chosen for the book because of the recognition she gained as a cast member on the PBS series “Time Team America,” which last aired in 2014.
She serves currently as research faculty member in the SOU Laboratory of Anthropology, where her focus has been on archaeology of the American West, including the dispersal of an early Chinese migrant population in Oregon.
“I love being able to be a role model for young girls interested in archaeology,” Rose says. “I know I don’t look like your average everyday scientist, and I think it is important for young women – or anyone, really – to discover that if they have an interest or passion for a certain subject, then there is a place for them in that field.
“If all you see is pictures of male scientists in white lab coats (or fedoras and bull whips in the case of archaeology), it is understandable that young girls might not think they belong,” she says. “But they do!”
Other archaeologists featured in the new book are Alexandra Jones, founder of the nonprofit Archaeology in the Community; and marine archaeologist Justine Benanty, a cofounder of ArchaeoVenturers. Both are based in Washington, D.C.
Yasuda, the new book’s author, has written more than 100 books for children and adults, including “Astronomy: Cool Women in Space.” The archaeology book is part of the Nomad Press “Girls in Science Series,” which also includes titles from various authors about “cool women” in astronomy, technology, forensics, engineering, aviation, marine biology, zoology, architecture and meteorology.
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About Southern Oregon University
As a public liberal arts university, SOU focuses on student learning, accessibility and civic engagement that enriches both the community and bioregion. The university is recognized for fostering intellectual creativity, for quality and innovation in its connected learning programs, and for 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, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.

Record number of SOU students to present literary papers

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NEWS BRIEF (online at https://goo.gl/lR98M6)
(Ashland, Ore.) — A small but significant trend has developed among literature students at Southern Oregon University – a record number of whom have been accepted to present their scholarly papers at this year’s Northwest Undergraduate Conference on Literature.
In a typical year, one SOU student is accepted to present at the conference. Three SOU students were accepted last year, and five have been invited to present their papers at this year’s conference on March 25.
The conference – held each spring at Portland State University – is an opportunity for undergraduate and advanced high school students to present their academic papers or creative works in organized panels of fellow students. Participating students share their papers and discuss their knowledge, take part in the presentations of their peers and may attend keynote speeches by noted literary academics and writers.
The SOU students who will participate in this year’s conference include Dante Fumagalli, who will present “The City that Glowed Before Him: Segregation and the Effects of the City in ‘Go Tell it on the Mountain’“; Jake Woods, who will present “The Stain on a Nation”; Alexis McDonald, who will present “James Baldwin and the Development of Identity: A Lacanian Approach”; and Caroline Cabral, who will present “Reclaiming Leda: Michael Field’s Interpretation.” A fifth student has not consented to be identified.
Prizes at the conference are given for best critical paper, best creative submission and best high school paper. The “Brass NUCL Award” is given to the hardest-hitting paper overall. All students who are accepted to present their work at the conference receive official records of their participation.
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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.

New director hired for SOU’s small business center

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NEWS RELEASE (available online at https://goo.gl/4vVUdC)
New director hired for SOU’s small business center
(Medford, Ore.) — Marshall Doak, who has served previously with Oregon Small Business Development Center offices in Tillamook and Salem, began work today as director of Southern Oregon University’s SBDC office at the Higher Education Center in Medford.
Doak served most recently as executive director of the Southeast Washington Economic Development Association and has worked in a similar role in Sunnyside, Ore. He received his bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University and his master’s of business administration degree from Pacific Lutheran University.
He replaces Jack Vitacco, who recently retired from SOU’s SBDC office. The university has had an affiliation with the SBDC for more than 20 years, and the current office in Medford collaborates with Rogue Community College’s SBDC office in Grants Pass.
All offices of the organization provide advising and training opportunities to anyone who operates or is planning to open a business. Oregon’s 19 SBDC offices are part of a national network and is associated with both the Oregon Business Development Department and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
SOU’s office of the SBDC – which employs a director, office manager, graduate assistant and two to four business consultants – works closely with the university’s business program to teach and advise students, and collaborate with faculty. The office also runs a Market Research Institute that can offer in-depth, applied market research to SBDC clients around the state who are seeking to grow their businesses and create jobs.
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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: Groundbreaking at pavilion dedicated to “outrageous innovation”

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NEWS RELEASE (online at https://goo.gl/qrn3Nn)
(Ashland, Ore.) — A groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 9, will mark the start of construction on “Thalden Pavilion: dedicated to outrageous innovation in sustainability and the arts” – a cutting-edge, education and performance facility at The Farm of Southern Oregon University.
A generous donation from Ashland residents Barry and Kathryn Thalden is paying for design and construction of the new pavilion. The Thaldens, who moved to Ashland five years ago after successful careers as architects, have immersed themselves in several community projects, including downtown Ashland’s flower basket program and outdoor murals at the Ashland Emergency Food Bank and outside Sesame Asian Kitchen on the Ashland Plaza.
“Philanthropy will play an increasing role as we position Southern Oregon University over the next several years to best meet the needs of our students and our region,” SOU President Linda Schott said. “The Thaldens exemplify the kinds of people whose collaborative support will help us imagine what we can be, and then bring that vision to reality.”
Barry Thalden, whose architectural career included work on several casinos in Las Vegas and throughout the West, said he and his wife were inspired by the opportunity to create a landmark space that can be used by the entire community. Kathryn Thalden had her own landscape architecture and planning firm in the Midwest before she and her husband moved to Las Vegas and she became a Unity minister.
The Thaldens and SOU envision a facility at The Farm that can bring together the creative forces of the university, the city, the business community and local theaters.
“This place should be an inspiration,” Barry said. “That’s why we say it’s dedicated to outrageous innovation in sustainability and the arts.
“This building has to be outrageous; it has to be totally unique so that it’s recognized for what it is, and brings attention to the idea of sustainability and an experimental farm.”
Thursday’s ceremony will include remarks by President Schott, the Thaldens and others.
The Farm is a student-led agricultural and learning center at SOU. The 3 ½-acre property on Walker Street in Ashland serves as an organic farm for the production of healthy, sustainable food for the SOU community. It is also a center for sustainability and a hub for education, student and faculty research, and community outreach to the Rogue Valley.
The Thalden Pavilion has been designed by Chris Brown of the Ashland firm Arkitek: Design & Architecture.
“It is a rare occasion, indeed, to have a client from the design profession – let alone both an architect (Barry) and landscape architect (Kathryn), on one project,” Brown said. “The evolution from a simple outdoor gazebo into what it has become, has definitely been an adventurous ride.
“We worked specifically with the idea of ‘open’ space rather than a fully enclosed structure, and sought to let light in through the cracks, allow sails to billow in the wind and make explicit the movement and response of structure to wind, sun and change of seasons.”
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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.

Climate action leader to discuss solutions at SOU talk

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NEWS RELEASE (online at https://goo.gl/PT3tHz)
(Ashland, Ore.) — KC Golden, a longtime leader in the U.S. climate action movement, will visit Southern Oregon University on March 9 for a talk that explores the need to turn a corner on the climate crisis and focus on solutions.
His free presentation, “Climate solutions: We have met the hero, and it is us,” will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 151 of the SOU Science Building. The talk comes as the city of Ashland works on its Climate and Energy Action Plan, and just a few weeks after SOU was one of six U.S. colleges and universities recognized with Climate Leadership Awards at the Presidential Climate Leadership Summit.
Golden will talk about the movement toward climate solutions that has begun over the past five years. The climate crisis has become real, and the cost of impacts is growing too high to ignore. He says a clean-energy revolution has been launched by the strong, citizen-driven climate movement that is challenging the status quo use of fossil fuels.
Climate change is coming to be understood as a moral watershed for our times, and Golden asks how we can drive the transition as fast and as far as is necessary.
Golden, who will speak on Jefferson Public Radio prior to his SOU presentation, is the current board chair of 350.org – a worldwide organization that seeks collaboration among activist groups to focus attention on climate change issues.  The organization’s name is derived from the goal of reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from the current level of more than 400 parts per million to fewer than 350 parts per million.
He also helped Seattle City Light become the country’s first major, carbon-free electric utility in the late 1990s. He was named one of the “Power 25” most influential people by Seattle Magazine, and was the magazine’s “Eco-Hero.”
Golden has served as the Seattle mayor’s special assistant for clean energy and climate protection initiatives and directed Washington’s Energy Policy Office as an assistant director in the state’s Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. He was the executive director of the Northwest Energy Coalition – an alliance working for clean, affordable energy – from 1989 to 1994.
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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 recognized with Climate Leadership Award

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NEWS RELEASE (online at https://goo.gl/Hz6vZs)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University is one of just six U.S. colleges and universities that will be recognized this week with Climate Leadership Awards at the 10th annual Presidential Climate Leadership Summit of the nonprofit organization Second Nature.
SOU and three other colleges or universities will receive honorable mentions during the three-day leadership summit’s awards luncheon on Tuesday. Two institutions – Arizona State University and Johnson County Community College in Kansas – will be named winners of the 2017 Climate Leadership Awards.
Second Nature, which was formed in 1993 to mobilize higher education toward the goal of sustainability, hosts the leadership summit each year as a touch-base opportunity for its Climate Leadership Network – made up of more than 600 colleges and universities in every state and the District of Columbia.
Member institutions each commit to take action on climate issues and prepare students to solve current and future challenges. Members may make a “Carbon Commitment” to work toward carbon neutrality; a “Resilience Commitment” to focus on climate adaptation; or a “Climate Commitment” to do both.
SOU and 14 other public and private colleges and universities in Oregon are Climate Leadership Network members, and SOU is one of four institutions in the state that have made the Climate Commitment.
SOU has also been honored with the Best Case Study Award by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, was the nation’s first certified Bee Campus USA and offers LEED Gold campus housing at its Raider Village complex.
The Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards recognize leadership in sustainability, climate mitigation and resilience. The awards are made in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools.
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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 receives third Tree Campus USA designation

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NEWS RELEASE
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University has received recognition for the third straight year as a “Tree Campus USA.” The Arbor Day Foundation honors select U.S. colleges and universities with the Tree Campus designation, based upon management of their urban forests and efforts to engage students and staff in conservation.

Arbor Day 2017 Southern Oregon University

SOU first received the designation for its efforts in 2014, and the 2016 honors were announced last week. The university has ramped up its Arbor Day activities as part of its ongoing campaign to become and remain a designated Tree Campus – 24,000 plants and 173 large trees have been planted on campus by volunteers during the past three annual celebrations, and a five-acre arboretum has been created.
“We have had a combined Arbor Day outreach of over 2,000 volunteers who have participated in everything from tree planting, pollinator garden creation and planting, botanical tours, pruning demonstrations and world-renowned educator presentations,” said Mike Oxendine, SOU’s landscaping, equipment and motor pool superintendent.
All trees planted at SOU’s Arbor Day celebrations have been donated by Plant Oregon, a Talent nursery that specializes in native plants, shrubs and trees. SOU offers free t-shirts to its Arbor Day volunteers, and those interested in participating can find more information on the SOU Landscape facebook page. This year’s Arbor day is on Friday, April 14.
The Arbor Day Foundation created its Tree Campus USA program in 2008. For 2016, 296 campuses nationwide received the recognition – including four universities and one community college in Oregon.
To qualify for the honor, colleges or universities must meet five standards: maintain a tree advisory committee, employee a campus tree-care plan, dedicate funding each year to the campus tree program, observe Arbor Day and engage students through a service-learning project.
According to the Arbor Day Foundation, Tree Campus USA colleges and universities invested more than $46.7 million in campus forest management efforts during 2016.
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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 center offers free presentation on debt-reduction for businesses

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NEWS BRIEF (online at https://goo.gl/Fp4J2Z)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University’s Small Business Development Center will offer a free presentation, “For Love & Money:  Reduce Debt and Increase Cash Flow in Your Business,” from 12:15 to 1:15 on Wednesday, Feb. 15, in Room 132 of the RCC/SOU Higher Education Center, at 101 S. Bartlett St., in Medford.
Certified financial coach Kathy Kali will serve as presenter at the session. She has been helping small business owners to grow and manage their income for 10 years.
Attendees will learn how to reduce debt by following the “seven baby steps to wealth-building in business,” retain earnings and pay themselves for their work, and use a monthly budget to maximize profit and cash flow.
Space for the presentation is limited, so those who are interested are advised to register ahead of time at www.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.

Statement on immigration and support for all students

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ANNOUNCEMENT
The following statement was sent this morning from SOU President Linda Schott to all students, faculty and staff.
Dear students and colleagues,
Southern Oregon University is a place where diverse backgrounds intersect and where all members of our academic community are supported and respected – as are their thoughtfully shared views on any issues they consider important.  We do not apply religious tests before admitting students or hiring employees, and we do not discriminate against people based on their nationality, race, gender or sexual orientation. Students and employees who come to SOU – whether from Medford or Mexico, Salem or Somalia – all have the right to be treated fairly and to be valued for who they are.
SOU does not stand alone but is part of a larger network of higher education institutions spread across our nation.  Many of these universities are stepping forward at this point to reiterate their commitments to liberal education and democracy. For example, President Muriel Howard of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities – of which SOU is a member – has issued a statement asking the Trump Administration to reconsider its recent executive order suspending the U.S. refugee program and banning travel into this country for the citizens of seven Muslim-majority nations.
“America’s state colleges and universities have been strengthened by the presence of students and faculty from around the globe, including those from the seven countries specifically targeted by the president’s executive order,” President Howard wrote. “We share in the collective commitment to protect our national security while at the same time enriching our nation with invaluable contributions from abroad.”
I share President Howard’s support for diversity – geographic, religious and otherwise. Although SOU has few students from the list of seven countries affected by the executive order, we have many international students who now wonder about their futures in our nation.  Thus I want to be clear that during this period of uncertainty and unrest, as we have throughout the history of our institution, SOU will continue to support all students and employees who wish to learn, grow, and make contributions to our campus and communities. 
Each morning, I walk into Churchill Hall under an inscription that reads, “The difficulties of democracy are the opportunities of education.” As we listen to our political leaders disagree about policies and principles and as we watch protestors take to the streets; as we pen our individual letters to elected officials or otherwise demonstrate our personal political views, it is apparent that our democratic system is being tested. It has been tested before, and we have always emerged from those tests with a new appreciation for both the daunting difficulties and amazing possibilities of self-governance. That self-governance is made possible at least in part by an educated populous and by the schools, colleges and universities providing that education. We at SOU are engaged in a serious, vital endeavor. We will continue our efforts, with renewed commitment, mutual respect and vigorous care for each other.
Respectfully,
Linda Schott
President, Southern Oregon University