Spring Enrollment Growth
Our enrollment growth continues. Spring marks the third consecutive quarter of enrollment increases over last year. Our total enrollment topped 5,000, reaching a total of 5,240 students. I am also proud to report our minority enrollment reached 13%, an all-time high. Despite the financial challenges facing us, SOU continues its commitment to meeting the higher education needs of our region with strong academic programs.
Ways and Means Committee
The Oregon State Ways and Means Committee met in Stevenson Union on April 30 as part of a statewide tour for legislators seeking input on how to manage the $4-billion shortfall in the next biennium budget. About 500 people turned up to share their concerns with legislators.
"We are here to listen to you," said Rep. Peter Buckley, who represents Ashland and is also co-chair of the Joint Ways and Means Committee. Other local legislators in attendance included Sen. Alan Bates (D-Ashland), Rep. Dennis Richardson (R-Central Point), and Rep. George Gilman (R-Medford).
Many SOU students, faculty, and staff came prepared to testify at the hearing. While only a few were given the opportunity to speak due to time constraints, those who did testify presented a powerful case for keeping higher education affordable and accessible in southern Oregon.
For more on the Ways and Means Committee meeting, see this article.
International Week
International Week kicked off on April 27 with a parade of international students and an international food fair. The celebration continued throughout the week, with a wide variety of cultural traditions and events ranging from workshops, movie nights, and dancing to a soccer tournament and food events. A panel discussion explored the topics of family and education in cultures around the world.
The week's festivities wrapped up with an international evening at the SOU recital hall featuring more than 400 performers from Mexico, Saudi Arabia, India, Japan, Egypt, Peru, and Brazil, as well as a Native American performance produced by the International Student Association.
International Week offers an opportunity for students to celebrate the rich cultural diversity of our student community. We hope you enjoy this slideshow featuring salsa dancing and music from the SOU Percussion and Marimba Ensembles.
To view a larger, Flash version of this slideshow, visit the International Programs website.
Guanajuato Week Highlights
In a timely prelude to International Week, SOU celebrated the fortieth anniversary of our relationship with the Universidad de Guanajuato (UG) and the city of Guanajuato during the week of April 13–18.
The series of musical performances, informational sessions, movies, and other events began with a performance by local group Ballet Folklorico on Monday, April 13. A higher-quality Flash version of this slideshow is available at the Guanajuato section of our website.
Led by Associate Professor of Music and Director of Percussion Studies Terry Longshore, SOU's Percussion and Marimba Ensembles rocked the Hannon Library courtyard on April 14. Here are a few snippets from Brian Banegas and Evin McHill's performance of "Boom," composed by Terry Longshore and Brett Reed, followed by "Medley of Zapateados," arranged by Laurence Kaptain and performed by the SOU Marimba Ensemble:
On Thursday, April 16, Estudiantina de la Universidad de Guanajuato, paraded across campus from Stevenson Union to Cascade Dining. These roving musicians from Guanajuato were dressed in traditional costume and played a range of Mexican songs, including the following:
SOU alumni from Guanajuato gathered for a reception at Plunkett Center on April 16. Above are some highlights from this special alumni gathering.
That same evening, the Schneider Museum of Art hosted a reception for our Guanajuato guests.
On Friday, April 17, SOU hosted the highly successful Ashland Chamber of Commerce Global Conference on How to Do Business in Mexico.
Earth Day
In recognition of Earth Day on April 22, the student group Ecology Center of the Siskiyous (ECOS) hosted a celebration in the Stevenson Union courtyard. Guests enjoyed free smoothies made from a bicycle blender powered by faculty and students, a tie-dye coloring station, information booths with local environmental groups, kiddie bicycle races, and music.
Other events held throughout the day included a yoga class, tie-dyeing and mushroom workshops, and a showing of the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?
Medford Opportunity High School Visits the ECOS Community Garden
Soon after Earth Day, SOU alumna Molly Mclaughlin and fellow instructor Kate Giles brought a group of Medford Opportunity High School students to visit the ECOS Community Garden. Molly graduated with an anthropology degree in 2004 and is currently enrolled in the MAT program. As a student, she worked in the community garden, which was also the subject of her capstone project. Now, she and Kate lead service-learning projects for Medford Opportunity High School in collaboration with The Job Council.
Over the years, this program, titled the Medford Youth Cooperative, has brought groups of high school students to work in the community garden on our campus. These students learn about environmental and social issues as they grow food to alleviate hunger through Uncle Foods Diner, which offers weekly meals to homeless and economically disadvantaged community members.
SOU students and faculty also participate in this weekly project by growing food in the ECOS Community Garden and volunteering at Uncle Foods. Dining Services collaborates with the gardeners by donating coffee grounds from the campus coffee shops to be used in the garden's composting.
This is one of the finest examples of sustainable practices on our campus, as well as demonstrating the important role SOU plays in addressing regional needs such as hunger and homelessness.
Note that a high-resolution Flash version of this video is available on the Environmental Studies website.
Southern Oregon Math League
As many as 250 students from sixteen Oregon high schools competed in the final event of the Southern Oregon Math League on April 28 at Stevenson Union. The Math League was established in 1971 by SOU Emeritus Professor of Math Ron Steffani and high school teachers from Jackson County. Today, high schools in Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, and Curry Counties compete in five annual events. SOU's Math Department helps to organize this high-powered annual competition.
Ashland High School "mathletes" came out on top, winning both the team and individual portions of the event. Ten of the thirty Ashland students who competed qualified for the state competition next month.
For more details, watch this video or read the the Ashland Daily Tidings article.
Spring Theatre
The Department of Theatre Arts is presenting two exciting productions this term.
Running May 14–24, Edwin Sánchez's Icarus tells the story of a young man, his sister, and their mysterious homeless companion. This cast of characters moves into a beach house, where they befriend a man in a ski mask and the aging actress who lives next door. Though beset by physical and mental afflictions, these characters continue to dream, carrying them beyond the malaise of their everyday existence.
Love's Labor's Lost will run May 21–31. In Shakespeare's comedy, the King of Navarre and three of his lords attempt to devote themselves to three years of study while forsaking the company of women. Their oath is quickly tested when the Princess of France and her ladies-in-waiting arrive for a visit to the King's court. Shakespeare's characteristic wordplay combines with the absurdity of the situation to create this delightful comedy.
For more information or to order tickets, visit the Theatre Department website.
Alumnus Vernon Snyder Returns for a Campus Recital
We were delighted to welcome SOU alumnus Vernon Snyder, who returned to SOU on April 27 to give a solo classical piano recital. The program's repertoire included the music of Bach, Beethoven, Ravel, and Liszt. Below is Vernon's performance of Etude in D-sharp minor, Op. 8, No. 12 by Alexander Scriabin:
Vernon graduated from SOU in 2005 with a BA in music performance and music education. He went on to study at California State University, Long Beach, earning an MM degree in music performance. Last summer, Vernon continued his studies in German at the ActiLingua Academy in Vienna, receiving a Zertifikat—Deutsch als Fremdsprache diploma, with additional piano studies at the Vienna Conservatory.
He is currently pursuing the DMA degree at Claremont Graduate University. Vernon has been inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Societies, and he was recently awarded a Graduate Fellowship and the Fernandez Prize in Music at Claremont Graduate University. Vernon serves as Director of Choirs at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Arcadia, California.
Career Fair
More than fifty businesses from the Rogue Valley were on hand for the annual Career Fair on May 7 at Stevenson Union. Representatives were looking for SOU students interested in employment, internships, volunteer opportunities, and graduate programs.
Students and alumni turned out in professional attire to meet with prospective employers in businesses ranging from hotel management to criminology to forestry. Graduates and students at every level were seeking summer jobs, internships, and long-term employment. Employers were eager to interview students, answer questions, and offer advice. The event has proven extremely successful in the past, and this year's turnout of employers provided some much-needed optimism.
Storyteller Thomas Doty
On May 14, storyteller Thomas Doty performed "Doty and Coyote: Stories from the Native West" at Hannon Library.
Considered among the finest of Oregon's storytellers, Doty is nationally known for his impassioned performances of traditional and original Native stories. He has released several recordings and delivered daily and weekly broadcasts on public radio. His recognitions include a Lifetime Achievement Award from the national American Indian Program. Doty has published many books and is featured among the authors on the Oregon Literary Map.
Doty serves as storyteller in residence at Dragonfly Place, a Center for the Study of Storytelling, Literature, and Performance in the Siskiyou Mountains. Doty's recent projects include returning the Sacred Salmon Ceremony to its original Native site on the Rogue River and the twenty-foot tall Native carving titled We Are Here in downtown Ashland. Doty also co-directs Reading the Rocks and serves on the international Board of Directors of CIRCLE, the Centre for Indigenous Research, Culture, Language, and Education located at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Doty's performance is part of the Hannon Library's Siskiyou Views Lecture Series. For more information about Doty and his art, visit Doty's website or the Hannon Library website.
OCH Conversation Project
This November, the Oregon Council for the Humanities (OCH) will kick off its first season of the Conversation Project: A New Chautauqua with sixteen scholars from across Oregon, including SOU faculty Prakash Chenjeri, Daniel Morris, and Vicky Sturtevant (emeritus).
The inaugural season will feature seventeen programs that span diverse topics, including friendship, the future of rural communities, media literacy, and re-imagining the American prison system. Much like the current Oregon Chautauqua program, which runs through August 2009, the overarching goal of the Conversation Project is to offer statewide opportunities for civic dialogue and humanities learning, with emphasis on contemporary issues. Chenjeri and Morris will discuss the principles of American individualism and voluntarism as illuminated by French author Alexis de Tocqueville in his monumental work Democracy in America. View the press release for more details.
For more information about the Conversation Project, please contact Director of Programs Jennifer Allen at 503-241-0543, ext. 118.
Blue Ledge Mine
Blue Ledge Mine—a subject of research by SOU faculty and students—will receive funding under a $157-million federal stimulus package. Part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for national forests in Oregon and Washington, the U.S. Forest Service will begin an $8.5-million environmental cleanup of the long-abandoned mine in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. In addition to the Blue Ledge Mine, several other projects—involving millions of stimulus dollars and several hundred jobs—are also slated for the local forest.
Above is a picture of Jara Johnson (Geology, Class of 2008), Nick Brettner (Geology, Class of 2009), and Levi McKay (Geology, Class of 2009) at Blue Ledge Mine.
Read more at the Mail Tribune website.
Digital Media and Advanced Photojournalism Portfolios
Associate Professor of Communication Dennis Dunleavy has shared two exciting galleries—one from his spring Digital Media Foundations 201 class, and the other from his Advanced Photojournalism class. Check out our talented students' work! The Digital Media Foundations portfolio is available here, and the Advanced Photojournalism one is at this site.
Beverly Bennett Scholarship
Thanks to the generosity of the late Beverly Bennett, SOU has received a $25,000 endowment for women's athletic scholarships.
Beverly taught and coached women's sports at Southern Oregon College from 1950 to 1984, established the School's first competitive sports program for women, and was instrumental in organizing women's leagues in the Northwest. A nationally rated basketball and volleyball official, Beverly was one of the first twelve inductees into the SOSC Athletic Hall of Fame.
Beverly served on the Ashland City Council from 1984 to 1987. She died last October at the age of 82. We are grateful for her great contributions to women's athletics.
Kreuz and Baker Double up at Conference Championships
Southern Oregon senior Cameron Kreuz and junior Antwun Baker came away with two victories each at last week's Cascade Conference Track and Field Championships.
Kreuz, who won the 1,500 on Friday, came away with the 800 title on Saturday. Kreuz won the event with an NAIA Automatic time of 1:51.95. Kreuz was also voted the Conference's Track Athlete of the Meet.
Baker, who set a championship record with his victory in the 100 Friday night, won Saturday's 200 in 22.10.
In the team race, the Raiders finished third on the men’s side and fifth on the women’s side.
In the men’s 5,000, SOU took home four of the top eight spots. Joe Rath (14:59.96) and David Laney (15:02.93) both broke the previous conference championship mark, but finished second and third. Chris Paterson finished fifth in 15:21.66 and Ryan Ghelfi finished sixth in 15:24.53. Laney also won the 10,000 on Thursday night and broke the conference championship record.
On the women’s side Saturday, senior Stephanie Miller finished third in the javelin with a throw of 140-05 and Chenin Young finished fourth in the triple jump (32-11).
The Raiders are now off until the NAIA Championships May 21–23.
Fouty, Fritts Earn Conference Honors
Cascade Conference coaches voted Southern Oregon University senior Strohm Fouty Newcomer of the Year and Head Coach Kim Fritts Coach of the Year.
Fouty, sophomore outfielder Meghan Laughlin, freshman pitcher Jordyn Kurtz, and freshman designated player Kathryn Moy were all voted to the All-Cascade Conference squad.
Fouty, a transfer from Grand Canyon, set school marks for stolen bases (43) and on-base percentage (.519) and led the conference in hits (54) and runs scored (40). Fouty finished second in the league and on the team in batting at .458. Fouty finished tied for third in the nation in total stolen bases. Fouty led the NAIA in stolen bases per game.
Laughlin put up numbers better than anyone in the league during her breakout season. The sophomore set a school record with a .463 batting average, a mark that led the league. Laughlin also led the league in triples (four); finished second in the league in runs (35), on-base percentage (.479), and doubles (11); ranked third in hits (50); and finished fifth in RBI (33) and slugging percentage (.667). Laughlin ended up ranked 20th in the NAIA in hitting. She batted an amazing .506 during conference play.
Laughlin also earned the Cascade Conference’s Gold Glove Award after committing just one error this year.
Kurtz exploded on the scene as a freshman and proved to be one of the most dominating pitchers in the conference. She led the conference and set a School record with 30 complete games. Kurtz’s 21 wins ranked first in the conference and her 2.32 ERA ranked third. She also led the conference in innings pitched (217.2) and shutouts (five), finishing third in strikeouts (188). Kurtz finished 10th in the league in hitting at .364.
Moy was another important part of a Raider offense that led the conference in hitting. Moy ranked sixth in the league with a .373 average and also scored 21 runs and drove in 16.
Fritts, who guided the Raiders to a 22-15 overall mark and an 18-6 conference record, earned the Top Coaches honor. In her third season, Fritts led the Raiders to their first 20-win season since 2006 and their 18 conference wins rank third all-time. The Raiders finished second to College of Idaho in the standings.
Current Events
Arts and Culture
Community Events
Student Events
Credits (top to bottom, left to right)
Spring day on campus (Gregory Martin).
Ways and Means Committee photos courtesy of The Siskiyou (Photographers Rebekah Hill and Kelsea Richmond).
Henna tattooing and sushi-making during International Week (Rory N. Finney).
Salsa dancing during International Week (photos by Rory N. Finney; music by SOU Percussion and Marimba Ensembles; slideshow by Melissa L. Michaels).
Ballet Folklorico performance during Guanajuato Week (photos by Rory N. Finney; music by Estudiantina de la Universidad de Guanajuato; slideshow by Melissa L. Michaels).
Percussion and Marimba Ensembles perform during Guanajuato Week (Rory N. Finney).
Estudiantina de la Universidad de Guanajuato musicians (Rory N. Finney).
Guanajuato alumni reception (Rory N. Finney).
Schneider Museum of Art reception during Guanajuato Week (Rory N. Finney).
Global Conference on How to Do Business in Mexico (Rory N. Finney).
Icarus and Love's Labor's Lost (Ezra Severin)
Vernon Snyder (courtesy of the Music Department)
Earth Day (Marsa Morse).
Who Killed the Electric Car? (courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics under the Fair Use Act).
Medford Opportunity High School students video the ECOS Community Garden (photos by Rory N. Finney; music by Terry Longshore and David Akash; video by Melissa L. Michaels).
Southern Oregon Math League Competition (courtesy of the Ashland Daily Tidings).
Career Fair (Marsa Morse).
Thomas Doty (courtesy of Thomas Doty).
Prakash Chenjeri, Dan Morris, and Vicky Sturtevant (Rory N. Finney).
Jara Johnson, Nick Brettner, and Levi McKay at Blue Ledge Mine (Bill Elliott).
Cameron Kreuz and Antwun Baker on the track (courtey of SOU Sports Information).
Women's Softball team members; Strohm Fouty slides into base (courtey of SOU Sports Information).
