SOU-Study Away Fair

SOU holds study away fair, celebrates International Education Week

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The Southern Oregon University Study Away Fair, a one-stop shop for those who want to learn more about study-away options, will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13, in the Stevenson Union Gallery (Room 323).

Students, faculty, staff and others are invited to the free event, which is part of SOU’s observation of International Education Week, Nov. 12 through 16.

The fair will feature information about study abroad programs and providers, peer advisors from SOU’s Office of International Programs, a financial aid counselor who can discuss options for meeting program costs, international students from the university’s partner programs and SOU students who have returned from various study-away experiences.

Representatives of three study abroad programs – Academic Programs International, IE3 Global and Global Education Oregon – will be available to answer questions.

Mary Gardiner, SOU’s associate director of study away and global engagement, will discuss direct exchanges, partner programs and the National Student Exchange. SOU business Professor Curt Bacon will field questions from students about direct exchange programs with the School of Business. And SOU financial aid counselor Debbie O’Dea will be available from noon to 2 p.m., to help explain options for covering study-away program costs.

A special guest from Universidad de Guanajuato, Kennia Carrillo, will also be present at the fair as UG and SOU prepare to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of their sister university relationship in 2019. Carrillo is coordinator for the Office of International Relations and Academic Collaboration at UG.

International Education Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. State Department and Department of Education to promote programs that “prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn and exchange experiences.”

SOU’s Office of International Programs is collecting non-perishable food and hygiene products throughout International Education Week, and will deliver donated items to the SOU Food Pantry at the end of the week. Donations may be brought to Room 322 of the Stevenson Union, or taken directly to the SOU Food Pantry in Room 312G.

The Office of International Programs – a U.S. Passport acceptance facility – held a “Family Passport Day” on Monday. A pair of international employment workshops – one for faculty and staff who may help or advise international students, and a second for international students with F/J visas – are scheduled for Wednesday at 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively, in Room 319 of the Stevenson Union. International Culture Day on Thursday features a boba tea fundraiser by the Asian Student Union in the Stevenson Union Courtyard from noon to 1:30 p.m., and an International Student Union open house from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 313 of the Stevenson Union. The Office of International Programs will hold a study away information session from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday in Room 319 of the Stevenson Union, and SOU’s French Club will hold a membership information event from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Room 318.

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SOU Veterans’ Day event recognizes those who have served

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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University will observe Veterans’ Day in a celebration on Monday, Nov. 12, of the men and women who have served and sacrificed in the interest of peace and justice.

The SOU’s event will be from 12:30 to 1:20 p.m. in the Rogue River Room of the Stevenson Union. Medford City Councilor Tim D’Alessandro and Klamath Community College writing instructor Jeanne LaHaie will speak. Several veterans’ resource advocates will be present and lunch will also be provided.

The event is an opportunity to thank those who have put themselves in harm’s way for their county in various ways – from being deployed overseas, to providing aid during natural disasters, to training on weekends when needed.

Those who have served or are currently serving are invited to participate and be recognized, and dependents of veterans are also encouraged to attend. A slideshow of SOU’s current and past service members is being created and will be played throughout the event. Those who wish to submit photos may do so at https://goo.gl/forms/tp2D57L5847ZmqD22

More than 200 SOU students each year are considered military-affiliated – most of them veterans or dependents who are eligible to receive veterans’ benefits. Many also serve as cadets in the Army ROTC program and are stationed in the Susanne Homes residence hall.

SOU also offers a Military Science Program that serves nearly 150 students per term, and various campus organizations are dedicated to helping veterans – including the Veteran’s Resource Office, the Student Veterans Association and the Veterans’ Student Union.

Story by Bryn Mosier, SOU Marketing and Communications intern

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SOU president urges support following national tragedies

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Southern Oregon University President Linda Schott called upon the campus community today to support one another in the wake of hate-motivated shootings during the past week in a Pittsburgh synagogue and at a Kentucky grocery store.

“These and other acts of targeted violence leave us all feeling raw, and more reliant than ever on the supportive environment that we nurture here at SOU,” the president said.

The university’s Student Support Network will host a community gathering to remember victims of the Pittsburgh and Kentucky shootings from 5 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 1, in the Stevenson Union’s Guanajuato Room. Representatives of several programs on campus will be present to support those in need, and light refreshments will be served.

“It is our responsibility as an institution of higher education to serve, during times such as these, as a beacon of understanding, unity and inclusion,” Schott said. “We must pick each other up, build upon our shared beliefs and embrace our differences.”

Rabbi Julie Benioff of Ashland’s Temple Emek Shalom has offered to make herself available to Jewish or other SOU students and employees who want to talk about the recent tragedies. She can be reached through her office at (541) 488-2902. The Temple, at 1800 E. Main St., will also hold a healing and memorial service at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3.

SOU students can visit or call the university’s Student Health and Wellness Center at (541) 552-6136 to schedule time with counselors. Assistance is also available from the Office of Student Support and Intervention at (541) 552-6223, or at Room 321 of the Stevenson Union.

All SOU employees are eligible to seek guidance from the university’s employee assistance program, Cascade Centers, by calling (800) 433-2320 or visiting the organization’s website at cascadecenters.com.

“I urge each of you to listen as your friends, colleagues and acquaintances share their thoughts,” President Schott said. “We can help each other through events such as these by showing compassion and striving to understand the feelings of those around us.”

SOU academic all-conference

SOU lands 46 on Academic All-Cascade Conference team

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Forty-six Southern Oregon University student-athletes from the Raiders’ fall sports teams received Academic All-Cascade Conference honors, CCC Commissioner Rob Cashell announced Tuesday.

To earn the distinction, a student-athlete must have been enrolled at their current institution for at least one year and reached sophomore academic standing with a minimum institutional grade-point average of 3.2.

SOU’s women’s soccer team had 15 honorees, the volleyball team had 11, the men’s soccer team 10, the men’s cross country team six and the women’s cross country team four. SOU football players are not included because that Raiders team competes in the Frontier Conference. Below is a complete list of SOU’s Cascade Conference academic honorees:

Ahmon Afenegus (environmental science), men’s soccer
Ryan Alexander (business), men’s cross country
Brendan Allen (public accounting), men’s soccer
Kiley Barcroft (pre-nursing), volleyball
Kayle Blackmore (communications), women’s cross country
Hannah Bogatin (business), volleyball
Seth Campbell (environmental studies), men’s cross country
Daisy Cervantes (psychology), women’s soccer
Jamie Chelberg (biology), women’s cross country
Elliott Cook (journalism), volleyball
Jared Delaney (biology), men’s soccer
Nathan Edwards (environmental science), men’s cross country
Lauren Fillipow (criminal justice), women’s cross country
Gonzalo Garcia (business), men’s soccer
Sarah Garoutte (criminology/psychology), women’s soccer
Zac Hansen (environmental studies), men’s soccer
Alex Harbert-Castro (business), men’s cross country
Ruth Hegstad (English), women’s soccer
Makayla Hoyt (environmental studies), volleyball
Natalie James (sociology), volleyball
Dani Johnson (business), volleyball
Kadyn Jones (biochemistry), volleyball
Cassandra Kohler (environmental science), women’s soccer
Nila Lukens (biology), volleyball
Misty Martinez (health and P.E.), women’s soccer
Paul Matyas (environmental science), men’s soccer
Daniel McDevitt (outdoor adventure leadership), men’s soccer
Deziree McKee (education), volleyball
Macaylea Mitchell (environmental science), women’s soccer
Gabi Nevinger (pre-pharmacy), women’s soccer
Noah Oberriter (pre-nursing), men’s cross country
Shayla Potratz (communications), women’s cross country
Taylor Ristvedt (environmental science), volleyball
Morgan Rohmann (pre-physical therapy), women’s soccer
Emma Ryan (psychology), volleyball
Simone Schroder (pre-physical therapy), women’s soccer
Jazmin Shaffer (business), women’s soccer
Ben Stevens (health and P.E.), men’s cross country
Makena Totushek (nursing), women’s soccer
Jonas Verrinder (health and P.E.), men’s soccer
Mia Volpatti (health and P.E.), women’s soccer
Aislinn Waite (psychology), women’s soccer
Emily Williman (business), women’s soccer
Brionna Wood (biology), women’s soccer
Wyatt Zabinski (biology), men’s soccer
Daniel Zamores (pre-physical therapy), men’s soccer

This story is reposted from souraiders.com

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Measles shots are part of the first-year experience

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First-year students at SOU and other state colleges and universities in Oregon have something important to remember before beginning their second term: they must provide proof of measles vaccination, or a legal exemption.

The Oregon College/University Immunization Law, adopted by the legislature in 2014, requires proof of hard measles (rubeola) immunization for all full-time students. Those at SOU can access a measles vaccination form online at myhealth.sou.edu. They must use their SOU log-in information, then click on “forms” and complete the measles form.

Those who have already had measles, are pregnant or have had reactions to immunizations are not required to be vaccinated, but must have medical documentation. Online-only students also are not required to be vaccinated, and non-medical exemptions are available for those who complete an online educational module and then submit a certificate of completion to the SOU Student Health and Wellness Center.

Students who complete neither the immunization form nor the on-medical exemption module may have an academic hold placed on their SOU accounts.

Measles was a common childhood disease up until the 1960s. Once effective vaccinations against the disease came into play, measles was almost completely eliminated in the U.S., but outbreaks still occur.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has kept an eye on measles cases this year. There were 107 cases reported in 21 states, including both Oregon and Washington, as of mid-summer. A record outbreak of 667 cases occurred in 2014, prompting the Oregon immunization law.

More information about the measles requirement and vaccination opportunities is available on the Student Health and Wellness Center website, or students may contact the center at (541) 552-6136.

Story by Bryn Mosier, SOU Marketing and Communications intern

SOU-Real Food-Linda Schott

SOU first in Oregon to accept “Real Food Challenge”

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Southern Oregon University officially joined other universities across the country in working toward sustainable food practices when President Linda Schott signed the “SOU Real Food Campus Commitment” this morning.

“I just want to say ‘thank you’ to all who will be doing this work on behalf of the university,” the president told a group of students and staff affiliated with SOU’s Ecology and Sustainability Resource Center (ECOS). “My job is the easy one, just signing this.”

SOU became the first Oregon university to join the “Real Food Challenge” by pledging to support ecologically sustainable, humane and socially equitable food systems. The university agreed that at least 20 percent of its food budget by 2023 will be spent on “real food” rather than unhealthy products or those produced by industrial farms.

Vice President for Finance and Administration Greg Perkinson, who co-signed the document with President Schott and student leaders of the project, congratulated the students for their perseverance in what has been a lengthy process. “There’s so much all of you do to make a difference,” he said.

SOU joined more than 40 U.S. universities and four university systems – including both the University of California and California State University systems – by participating in the student-led Real Food Challenge. The movement’s goal is to commit $1 billion of the annual food budgets of U.S. universities to real food.

The Real Food Challenge was founded in 2007 by a group of student activists, national food movement leaders and higher education sustainability experts. It is now a self-funded project of TSNE MissionWorks, a New England organization that partners with various nonprofits.

Jill Smedstad, the university’s environmental and community engagement coordinator, said Friday’s signing marked a transition from “the campaign mode to the implementation mode” of the Real Food Challenge.

SOU committed to establishing a transparent reporting system and filing an annual progress report to evaluate it food purchasing practices; to create a food systems working group that will develop a “real food policy” and multi-year action plan; and to increasing awareness of ecologically sustainable, humane and socially equitable food systems.

Progress toward the project’s long-term goals is expected to begin immediately. Within a month, the university will be expected to complete a baseline food survey. Food service providers, distributors and others will be notified within three months that future contract terms will need to align with SOU’s new real food policy and multi-year action plan.

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SOU’s Martinez conference player of the week in women’s soccer

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Misty Martinez, a standout redshirt sophomore on SOU’s women’s soccer team, picked up the Cascade Conference Red Lion Offensive Player of the Week award this week.

Currently playing the forward position, Martinez scored her third, fourth and fifth goals of the season in SOU’s two games last weekend in Portland. She tallied the game-winners with a 9-0 decision at Multnomah and a 3-0 decision at Warner Pacific.

Martinez currently has team-highs of six goals and four game-winners, including in the Raiders’ three most recent games. All were in CCC play, and she also was responsible for the Raiders’ lone goal in a recent conference draw.

Martinez has stood out both on the soccer field and academically. She graduated and was a four-year letter-winner at Casa Grande High School in Petaluma, Calif. She received the Niels and Amalia Scott Scholarship and the Robert Girabaldi Memorial Scholarship, both for academic and athletic prowess.

The health and physical education major redshirted in 2016 and made one goal and two assists last year in her first season in uniform for the Raiders.

Going into this weekend’s women’s soccer Homecoming games, SOU is 7-2-2 overall and 5-1-1 in the CCC. The games will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Friday against Northwest (Wash.) and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday against Evergreen (Wash.).

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ASSOU special election would remove Schneider fee

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Students at Southern Oregon University may have noticed a small fee on their Fall Term bill that seemed slightly out of place. The $13 fee is for the Schneider’s Children Center and ASSOU is running an election through Wednesday to get rid of it.

In reality, the fee was assessed for Fall Term students and then automatically reversed. But the fee will be eliminated altogether if students vote to do so in the special election.

Originally, the Schneider Children’s Center fee was implemented to support the Schneider Children’s Center. The Center supported many families over the years, but experienced much financial hardship because of little to no financial support from the state.

The Schneider Children’s Center was closed on Aug. 31 because there was no viable funding solution that wouldn’t raise childcare costs for parents using the center.

The funds generated by the Schneider fee are intended to help pay the center’s annual operating costs. The fee cannot be used for anything else on campus.

A “yes” vote in the special ASSOU election is a vote to remove the Schneider Children’s Fee, effective this fall.

A “no” vote is a vote to continue charging the Schneider Children’s fee.

Follow this link to vote (you must be logged in to your SOU Student account). The online ballot will be open until Oct. 10.

Questions, comments or concerns, can be sent to ASSOU President Alexis Phillips at assoupresident@sou.edu.

Story by Bryn Mosier, SOU Marketing and Communications intern

SOU football haka war cry

Southern Oregon football team brings haka war cry to the field

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At their practice in Ashland, Southern Oregon University football players kneel to the ground and growl, their eyes bulging, their tongues sticking out. Lineman Masi Tunoa leads the chant.

Tunoa and his family used to perform lū’aus for tourists back home in Hawaii. They also did the haka, a battle cry that originated from the indigenous people of New Zealand. It’s a powerful ritual that Polynesian cultures still perform today for ceremonies like weddings or funerals, or before a big game.

“The haka was performd by the Maori people,” Tunoa said. “It’s like a war cry. They do it to get their warriors ready for battle. I thought why not take that can get ready for a game. Get that same energy.”

Tunoa had a friend translate the haka into English so he could teach it to his team. He says each sentence has a special meaning that energizes and grounds them.

“One of the lines we say is, ‘Make us one with the lion,'” he said. “So wherever we go, whether home or away, that’s home field. No matter where we go.”

About a fifth of the SOU football players are of Polynesian descent. Head coach Charlie Hall says while the haka might get his team pumped up for a game, it has also brought them together.

“Beyond performance it’s about team culture,” he said. “It’s about sharing another people’s culture with our own team. It’s about who we are and being a better family.”

And Tunoa says that’s exactly what brought him to this team. Something about it reminded him of his family, reminded him of home.

This story is reposted from Jefferson Public Radio, and was reported by April Ehrlich

See a video of the Raiders’ haka:

Southern Oregon University Football Haka from April Ehrlich on Vimeo.

SOU men's soccer Gonzalo Garcia

SOU’s Garcia voted CCC Defensive Player of the Week in men’s soccer

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For the second week in a row, the Southern Oregon men’s soccer team produced one of the Cascade Collegiate Conference’s Red Lion Players of the Week – this time Gonzalo Garcia, a junior from Stockton, Calif.

Garcia, named the conference’s defensive player of the week, was a key player on the back line as the Raiders turned in two more clean sheets. They won 2-0 on Saturday, Sept. 29, against Northwest Christian and 0-0 on Sunday, Sept. 30, against No. 18-ranked Corban. He also assisted Noah Addie’s 57th-minute header that turned into the game-winner against NCU, his team-leading fourth assist of the season.

SOU’s Mitchell Pinney, a senior forward from Hockinson, Wash., was voted the Cascade Collegiate Conference Offensive Player of the Week the previous week.

The Raiders (8-2-1 overall, 5-0-1 CCC) extended their team-record unbeaten streak to nine games, seven of which have been shutouts. They remained tied in first place with Corban, becoming the first team to blank the Warriors this season.

This week, they’ll play Friday, Oct. 5, at Multnomah and Saturday, Oct. 6, at Warner Pacific.

From SOU Sports Information