Tag Archive for: Southern Oregon University

SOU to observe Indigenous Peoples Day

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NEWS RELEASE (available online at https://goo.gl/d0nv6L)
(Ashland, Ore.) — The contributions and cultural significance of Native American populations will be celebrated annually at Southern Oregon University when the campus begins observing Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday of October, beginning this year.
SOU President Linda Schott declared the university’s intention to observe Indigenous Peoples Day after student Lupe Sims and the Diversity and Inclusion Oversight Committee took the proposal to three governing boards on campus. The University Planning Board, Faculty Senate and Associated Students of Southern Oregon University each approved the request, which will result in a celebration similar to that of Veterans Day at SOU. No classes will be canceled, but the occasion will be observed through special programming.
“The indigenous cultures that have evolved in the Americas for millennia are certainly worthy of acknowledgement and have particular relevance to our state, in which nine sovereign tribes are recognized,” President Schott said. “SOU has a vibrant population of Native American students, and this celebration will honor the legacies of their families and ancestors.
“This will provide an excellent opportunity for all of our students to learn more about the non-European history of our region and our country.”
SOU joins several other universities, four states and at least 39 U.S. cities – including Portland, Eugene and Corvallis in Oregon – that observe Indigenous Peoples Day.
It is typically celebrated on the second Monday of October, which the U.S. has observed as the federal Columbus Day holiday since 1937.
At least 17 states – including Oregon – do not recognize Columbus Day as a holiday. Oregon observed it as a “day of commemoration” – but not a legal holiday – until the 1985 Legislature added a holiday for Martin Luther King Day, combined Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays as Presidents’ Day and eliminated all “days of commemoration.”
SOU’s Diversity and Inclusion Oversight Committee sought President Schott’s endorsement of the new Indigenous Peoples Day after gathering approvals from the three on-campus governing panels. A letter from the committee asked for a declaration of “our commitment to the inclusion of indigenous people’s perspectives and objectives as a central aspect of the university’s mission.”
The president said the day of celebration is consistent with SOU’s values of commitment to its students; intellectual growth; responsibility to the natural and social world; and inclusion, diversity and equity.
SOU offers a Native American Studies Program that seeks to educate all students about the knowledge, experiences and rich cultural heritage of indigenous people. The university also has an active Native American student population, supports SOU’s Native American Student Union and sponsors Konaway Nika Tillicum – an eight-day, on-campus residential camp for Native American youth.
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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.

More than 1,100 graduates to receive degrees at SOU commencement

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NEWS RELEASE (available online at https://goo.gl/G6f0HY)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Saturday’s Southern Oregon University commencement ceremony will mark both an end and a beginning for more than 1,100 students – the conclusion of a degree program and the start of whatever adventure their education has prepared them to take on.
The event at Mountain Arena (Raider Stadium) will begin with a processional at 8:45 a.m., and ceremonies at 9 a.m. It is expected to conclude at about 11:30 a.m.
This year’s commencement address will be presented by Winona LaDuke, a prominent Native American environmentalist and activist who twice ran for vice president on a Green Party ticket headed by Ralph Nader. LaDuke, who lives on the White Earth reservation in northern Minnesota, was raised in Ashland and her mother – noted Oregon painter Betty LaDuke – was a member of SOU’s art faculty for 32 years.
Other noted speakers include SOU President Linda Schott, SOU Board of Trustees Chair Bill Thorndike, SOU alumna Kacie Ryan (’07) and graduating student Dante Fumagalli.
In keeping with SOU’s commitment to sustainability, the 24-page commencement booklet will be printed on paper from responsible sources. Graduates’ robes will be biodegradable and made of wood fiber from renewable, managed forests. Students will collect robes following the ceremony from graduates who no longer want them, and they will be reused next year by graduates in need.
Water bottles, provided in part by a donation from Asante, will be filled by a crew from the Aviands dining service at SOU and handed out to the first 5,000 graduates and guests.
SOU’s Class of 2017 includes an expected 866 recipients of bachelor’s degrees, plus another 61 from the Oregon Health & Science University nursing program at SOU. Another 184 students will receive graduate degrees.
The university’s Social Sciences Division will lead the way with a combined 273 bachelor’s and master’s degrees awarded; the Business, Communication & Environment Division will account for 247 graduates; the Education, Health & Leadership Division will have 245; the Oregon Center for the Arts will have 143; the Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Division will have 94; the Humanities & Culture Division will have 30; and the Undergraduate Studies Division will have 13.
The Dankook Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Students will be presented to new graduates Rebekah Ratcliff, an honors graduate in sociology and anthropology who has been recognized for her work on local and Latin American projects; and William Babishoff, a former radio and television personality who will receive his degree in communication with an emphasis on film, television and convergent media. The award, given to SOU’s outstanding female and male graduates, commemorates more than 30 years of friendship between SOU and Dankook University in Seoul, South Korea.
The Universidad de Guanajuato Award for Outstanding Graduate Student will be presented to Jared Brown, who will receive his master’s degree in music performance with a 4.0 grade point average. Brown served as a graduate teaching assistant in music theory/aural skills and percussion, and worked with students at Crater High School in Central Point.
This year’s Distinguished Teaching Awards will be presented to music Professor Vicki Purslow; Lisa Ciasullo, an associate professor of math; Kylan De Vries, an associate professor of sociology and gender, sexuality and women’s studies; English and writing Professor Bill Gholson; and communication Professor Alena Ruggerio.
Raider Stadium will open at 7 a.m. and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. No tickets will be required. Free parking will be available in all SOU lots throughout the day, and a free shuttle service will run to the stadium from the Mountain Avenue lot about every 15 minutes.
Saturday’s ceremony will be broadcast live on RVTV and archived for later viewing. More information about SOU’s commencement is available at www.sou.edu/commencement.
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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 and LOGOS offer on-campus option for young college students

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NEWS RELEASE (available online at https://goo.gl/uEABm9)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University will partner this fall with Medford’s LOGOS Public Charter School – the largest non-virtual K-12 charter school in Oregon – to offer an SOU campus-based, dual-credit college program for LOGOS students.
The program – LOGOS Scholars Academy – will offer college-credit coursework at no cost to the charter school’s students. Its office will be located in SOU’s Susanne Homes Hall, just south of the university’s Art Building and Schneider Museum of Art.
“At LOGOS, we have created a culture where students take ownership of their own future, and we start the transition to college and internships while they are still in high school,” said LOGOS Executive Director Joe VonDoloski.
LOGOS offers a home-based, individualized curriculum to 900 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. About 60 percent of the school’s 2017 senior class will graduate high school with 15 or more college credits, VonDoloski said.
As many as 30 students in 10th through 12th grade will take part in the Scholars Academy program, which will offer guidance from a LOGOS teacher at the school’s new satellite office on the SOU campus. Interested students must apply to LOGOS to join the program and to SOU for admission into the university’s Early Entry program.
Students accepted into the Scholars Academy program will attend college classes either full- or part-time, at no cost. A reduced tuition rate will be paid by LOGOS, which is sponsored by the Medford School District.
Students from any local school district are eligible to apply for the Scholars Academy program.
“Being in direct proximity to countless resources and opportunities at SOU will make higher education more tangible and purposeful for our students,” said LOGOS art teacher Allen Smith.
SOU offers a variety of options for students who wish to earn college credits while still in high school, including the Advanced Southern Credit program, in which about 1,500 students simultaneously earn high school and college credits for approved advanced placement coursework.
“We want to give qualified, college-ready students every opportunity be challenged and learn at a high level, regardless of their age,” said Rachel Jones, director of pre-college and youth programs at SOU. “We hope for a long and productive relationship with LOGOS.”
Informational meetings for students interested in enrolling in the Scholars Academy program will be offered through the summer by LOGOS staff members. Interested families should contact the charter school (www.logoscharter.com) at (541) 842-3658 or email admin@logoscharter.com.
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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.
 

Activist and former VP candidate Winona LaDuke to speak at SOU commencement

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NEWS RELEASE (available online at https://goo.gl/ACHxtM)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Winona LaDuke, a prominent Native American environmentalist and activist who twice ran for vice president on a Green Party ticket headed by Ralph Nader, will be the keynote speaker at Southern Oregon University’s June 17 commencement ceremony.
LaDuke, 57, was raised largely in Ashland and her mother – noted Oregon painter Betty LaDuke – was a member of SOU’s art faculty for 32 years.
Winona LaDuke currently lives on the White Earth reservation in northern Minnesota and is the executive director of Honor the Earth (HtE), a nonprofit that supports indigenous environmental justice. LaDuke co-founded the organization in 1993 with the folk-rock duo the Indigo Girls.
“Winona LaDuke is an inspiring role model for our graduates, our students and everyone who will be attending commencement,” SOU President Linda Schott said. “She has spent her distinguished career fighting for Native Americans, for women and for those who believe that our future is inextricably bound to the health of our environment.
“It will be an honor to welcome her back to Ashland, where the foundation for her life’s work was built – much like those who will be walking in our commencement ceremony.”
LaDuke was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2007, in recognition of her leadership and commitment to her community. She was named one of Time Magazine’s 50 most promising leaders under the age of 40 in 1994; received the Thomas Merton Award in 1996 for her devotion to justice; and in 1998 she shared the Ms. Magazine Women of the Year award with the Indigo Girls.
She received her bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University and her master’s degree in community economic development from Antioch University. She became a high school principal on the White Earth reservation, where she became active in Native American and women’s issues. She helped found the Indigenous Women’s Network in 1985, and four years later established the White Earth Land Recovery Project, which has bought back more than 1,200 acres of former reservation land from non-Natives and held it in a conservation trust for the Anishinaabe Tribe.
Her Honor the Earth organization played an active role in the year-long Dakota Access Pipeline protests, which ended in February when National Guard troops cleared protesters from the site.
SOU has attracted noteworthy speakers to its summer commencement ceremony in recent years, and most have had close connections to the university.
Last year’s commencement speaker was Harry “Doc” Kloor, an SOU alumnus who is the first and only person to earn two doctorate degrees simultaneously. Kloor – a writer, scientist and national technology policy advisor – earned doctorates in physics and chemistry from Purdue University.
In 2015, SOU’s commencement address was given by then-University of Oregon football coach Mark Helfrich, who is also an SOU alumnus. He was replaced as the Ducks’ coach after his team had a 4-8 season last fall.
This year’s commencement ceremony – SOU’s 91st – will begin at 9 a.m. at Raider Stadium.
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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 to showcase innovation at annual SOAR conference

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NEWS RELEASE (available online at https://goo.gl/TY6MKz)
(Ashland, Ore.) — The Southern Oregon Arts & Research conference – an annual showcase of Southern Oregon University talents, interests and innovations – will begin Tuesday, May 16, and continue through Friday, May 19. The 10th annual event will feature a variety of presentations and performances by more than 600 students, faculty and staff from throughout campus.
SOAR presentations – which come in a variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from 20-minute demonstrations or performances to four-day exhibitions – seek to capture SOU’s unique and inclusive spirit. This year’s topics range from microbiology to European travels, from cryonics to infection prevention, and from a pollinator walk to an Honors College trivia competition. SOU student-athletes will demonstrate skills such as shooting a basketball and getting out of the starting blocks in a sprint. There will even be a Quidditch tournament – a magical competitive sport from the world of Harry Potter.
A total of 123 demonstrations, exhibitions, performances, poster exhibits and symposia are listed on the SOAR schedule website.
All SOAR events are free and open to the public. Those who are attending SOAR events may park for free in SOU’s Mountain Street parking lot.
More information is available on the SOAR website.
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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.

Top high school students use SOU program to get a big jump on college

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NEWS RELEASE (available online at https://goo.gl/uavpOG)
(Ashland, Ore.) — One student at St. Mary’s School in Medford will be two-thirds of the way through her sophomore year at Southern Oregon University when she receives her high school diploma next month. One of her St. Mary’s classmates will be almost halfway through his sophomore year at SOU.
Another high-achiever – from Phoenix High School – will be just over halfway through his second year in college when he wears his high school cap-and-gown.
They are the top three college credit-earners among about 1,500 students from at least 22 high schools in Oregon, California and Nevada currently participating in SOU’s Advanced Southern Credit program. Students in the ASC program can simultaneously earn high school and college credits for approved advanced placement coursework.
The two St. Mary’s students have accumulated 74 and 62 credits, respectively. The Phoenix High student accrued 68 college credits at SOU during his high school career. Nearly 600 high school students will graduate this year with at least eight ASC credits.
(NOTE: This year’s three high school graduates with the most credits through SOU’s program can be made available for media interviews.)
“The (college) credits are transferrable to all public universities in Oregon and to most public and private universities nationwide,” said Stephanie Butler, SOU’s pre-college youth programs coordinator.
Butler points out that about 30 percent of students who take part in the ASC program wind up graduating from SOU – even if they try other college campuses immediately out of high school.
Advanced Southern Credit, which is in its 36th year, is one of three state-accredited, dual-credit programs in Oregon. Portland State University and Oregon Institute of Technology offer similar programs.
Teachers with master’s degrees or higher from participating high schools may submit ASC course proposals to appropriate academic department chairs at SOU. Teachers of approved courses must then undergo periodic professional development training at the university. The high schools receive 14 percent rebates on their students’ tuition payments for ASC classes, to help with the cost of teacher training and to reinvest in the program.
Students pay sharply reduced tuition for ASC courses – currently $41 per credit, or $164 for a four-credit course. By comparison, enrolled full-time students at SOU paid $1,084.64 in tuition and fees during the 2016-17 academic year for four-credit courses. A waiver option – primarily for students who qualify for the federal free- and reduced-price lunch program – can drop the price of ASC courses to $5 per college credit.
St. Mary’s School offers the most ASC courses – 39 – of the participating schools, while North Medford High School offers 34 courses, Ashland High School offers 24 and Phoenix High offers 22. The most-distant participating school is Rancho High School in Las Vegas, which offers three ASC courses.
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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.

State commission approves SOU tuition rate

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NEWS RELEASE (available online at https://goo.gl/1mMLmn)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission acknowledged Southern Oregon University’s collaboration, momentum and attention to the overall best interests of students by voting today to accept 2017-18 tuition rates adopted last month by the SOU Board of Trustees.
“I truly appreciate the ability of HECC members to grasp the nuances of our recent budget- and tuition-setting process, and to understand the swell of energy and passion on our campus,” said SOU President Linda Schott, who was in Salem to present the university’s tuition plan to commissioners.
HECC members approved the 12 percent tuition increase that SOU’s Board of Trustees unanimously adopted on April 21. The HECC vote finalizes a months-long process by students, staff, faculty members and others to work collaboratively through a budget cycle that was deeply affected by the state’s $1.4 to $1.6 billion funding shortfall.
The HECC must approve tuition increases above 5 percent for any of the state’s seven public universities. Gov. Kate Brown laid out strict criteria that the universities had to meet this year as justification for increases over 5 percent, and the commission approved rates today for SOU, OIT and WOU. Tuition rates for PSU and UO did not receive sufficient votes for approval, and OSU and EOU did not require HECC approval for tuition increases below 5 percent.
SOU’s tuition has risen by an average of 2.5 percent annually over the past four years, and the university currently operates on less revenue than any other public university in Oregon, on a per-student basis. SOU’s tuition increase will result in an additional $18.17 per credit hour for SOU students who are Oregon residents, and similar increases for non-residents.
Students from various universities dominated the public comment session at Thursday’s HECC meeting. Some opposed their universities’ tuition increases and others spoke in favor of the rates, recognizing that deep cuts in programs would cause more damage than higher tuition.
President Schott acknowledged that SOU’s increase will cause difficulties for some students, and said the university has tried to address some of those concerns by offsetting the tuition increase with $500,000 in additional institutional aid for students least able to afford the increased cost. The university will also expand efforts to steer eligible students toward cost-saving options such as programs that allow students to graduate in three years instead of four.
“There is little to celebrate in today’s vote,” Schott said. “We have heard our students – those who have spoken against the tuition increase and those who have reluctantly acknowledged that it is the lesser of two evils. This tuition rate enables us to continue planning an efficient, innovative and successful future for SOU, its students and our community.”
SOU has made $14 million in cuts over the past three years as part of its retrenchment process. Any additional cuts would significantly erode the university’s academic and student support programs.
Tuition at SOU will remain among the lowest of Oregon’s seven public universities. The overall cost of attendance – a combination of tuition, student fees and housing – will go up by about 5.8 percent.
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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.

Trans-species psychologist to lecture at SOU on animals’ personal lives

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NEWS RELEASE (available online at https://goo.gl/26XjaV)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University’s “Shapes of Curiosity” lecture series will take a walk on the wild side when trans-species psychologist G.A. Bradshaw discusses “The World Through the Eyes of Our Carnivore Kin” on Thursday evening, May 11, at the Hannon Library.
The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will be at 7 p.m. in the library’s Meese Room (room 305).
Bradshaw will offer glimpses behind the scenes in the lives of creatures often considered fearsome: grizzly bears, cougars, orcas, rattlesnakes and others. Her discovery of post-traumatic stress disorder in free-living elephants launched the field of trans-species psychology.
Bradshaw is the founder and executive director of the Kerulos Center in Jacksonville – a nonprofit organization made up of faculty members and professional advisors from various disciplines who work from around the world to improve animals’ lives through understanding and service. She has also served as an adjunct faculty member in psychology at SOU.
She holds doctoral degrees in forest ecology from Oregon State University and in depth psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, California. She earned a master’s degree in geophysics from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree in linguistics (Chinese) from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Bradshaw has published, taught and lectured internationally in both of her doctoral fields. Her work focuses on the psychological well-being of animals and multi-species cultures, and she has researched the effects of violence and trauma recovery on elephants, grizzly bears, chimpanzees, parrots and other species in captivity.
She is the author of “Elephants on the Edge: What Animals Teach Us about Humanity,” which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Her work has appeared in academic journals such as Nature and American Scientist, and in popular magazines such as Time, Forbes and National Geographic.
The presentation is part of this year’s SOU campus theme, Shapes of Curiosity. The lecture series creates opportunities for students, faculty, staff and community members to engage in intellectually stimulating conversations. For information about the Shapes of Curiosity, contact SOU foreign language professor Dan Morris (morris@sou.edu), who is co-director of the campus theme program.
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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.

Hospital CEO to join SOU Board of Trustees

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NEWS RELEASE (available online at https://goo.gl/9LtvdF)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Sheila Clough, the chief executive officer of Asante Ashland Community Hospital, has been appointed by Gov. Kate Brown to fill the 15th seat on the Southern Oregon University Board of Trustees and was confirmed today by the Oregon Senate.
Clough has served as CEO of the Ashland hospital for the past 3 ½ years and has held management positions in health care for 25 years. In seeking appointment to the SOU board, she cited the academic and economic benefits that the university provides.
“As a resident of Ashland and the CEO of a critical community service provider and prominent employer in the area, I have a vested interest in the long-term sustainability of SOU,” Clough said. “I am honored by my appointment to this volunteer board and look forward to supporting the strategies and vision that will ensure the university’s continued success.”
Clough joined Asante in September 2013 as CEO of Asante Ashland Community Hospital and led the hospital’s integration into the Asante system and its financial turnaround. The recovery plan she implemented resulted in an $8 million turnaround for the hospital from 2013 through 2016. Patient satisfaction at the hospital improved from the 50th percentile in 2013 to better than the 80th percentile in 2016, and the hospital’s employee engagement ranking went from the 7th percentile to the 91st percentile over the same period.
“The board welcomes Sheila Clough, whose accomplishments at Asante and leadership role in the community, we believe, are indicative of what she will bring to the table,” said Bill Thorndike, chair of the SOU Board of Trustees. “Sheila understands the complementary roles of a governing board and the executive team that operate an institution such as SOU. Her expertise in health care will broaden the board’s perspective and her business knowledge will be invaluable.”
Prior to joining Asante, Clough served in a progression of leadership roles from 1998 through 2013 with Ministry Howard Young Health Care in Woodruff, Wisconsin, eventually rising to the role of president and chief operating officer. Howard Young operated an acute care hospital, a critical access hospital and an assisted living facility.
Clough earned a bachelor’s degree in medical technology from the University of Minnesota and an MBA for health care executives from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is a member of the American College of Health Care Executives and in 2014 passed the organization’s board examination to be named a fellow of the college.
She is an active member of the Ashland Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Lithia Springs Rotary Club, and she has developed a new partnership with Ashland High School to focus students’ attention on the possibility of careers in health care.
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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.

SOU Student Health and Wellness Center granted three-year accreditation

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NEWS RELEASE (available online at https://goo.gl/vPbi9m)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University’s Student Health and Wellness Center has been re-accredited by the largest certifying agency in the U.S. for student health centers and other ambulatory health organizations.
The three-year accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care differentiates SOU’s medical and mental health center from other outpatient facilities by certifying that it meets the criteria for high-quality patient care that is laid out in an independent evaluation process. The SOU Student Health and Wellness Center last received accreditation in 2014.
“We believe our patients and clients deserve the best,” said Anna D’Amato, executive director of the SOU center. “When you see our certificate of accreditation, you will know that AAAHC – an independent, not-for-profit organization – has closely examined our facility and procedures. It means we, as an organization, care enough about our patients to strive for the highest level of care possible.”
The accrediting agency sets nationally recognized standards for quality medical and mental health care, and accredits more than 6,000 ambulatory health care facilities and organizations – from student health centers to ambulatory surgery centers to medical and dental group practices.
Not all ambulatory health care organizations seek accreditation, and not all that undergo the rigorous process achieve certification. The process includes an extensive self-assessment and an on-site survey by AAAHC experts – physicians, nurses and others actively involved in ambulatory health care.
The SOU Student Health and Wellness Center’s mission is to promote optimal health and well-being for students through quality educational, primary medical, mental health and health promotion services. The center’s services are confidential, convenient and economical, and facilitates students’ unique healing and learning processes. Its staff of doctors, nurse practitioners, counselors, nurses, health educator, medical assistant, lab/dispensary tech and administrative and support staff see thousands of students annually.
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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.