Marketing and Communications
Press Releases: March 2008
SOU Environmental Studies Program Receives Research Funding for Gold Ray Dam (3/21/08)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has awarded Jackson County $100,000 to continue the collaborative study of Gold Ray Dam and its sediment. The grant funding is based on preliminary research conducted by Southern Oregon University (SOU) geology student Elizabeth Carrington, under the mentorship of Geology Professor William Elliot. Jackson County will administer the grant to various involved agencies, including SOU.
SOU’s Environmental Studies program will receive approximately $10,000 to fund three to five undergraduate student research projects over the next two years. The projects will focus on sediment core samples collected from Gold Ray Reservoir. The research will assess the best practices for removing Gold Ray Dam from the Rogue River.
SOU students will collaborate with various local and regional environmental programs to collect field data and report the results of the detailed sediment analyses. The collaborating organizations include the National Center for Conservation Science and Policy, Jackson County, Water Watch of Oregon and the Rogue Valley Council of Governments.
“The funding provides Environmental Studies students experience in a dam removal project,” said Professor Elliott. “Since dam removal projects are becoming very common in the United States, so students are gaining valuable skill sets for the workplace.”
Southern Oregon University Students Present at State Event (3/13/08)
Southern Oregon University (SOU) students and faculty displayed their scientific talent at the Oregon Academy of Science’s (OAS) 66th annual meeting on February 23, 2008, in Portland, Oregon.
SOU McNair Program Director Dee Southard sponsored three McNair student scholars at the event. Two McNair students gave live, podium presentations. In the biology section, Robert Hogg lectured on the migration behavior of introduced American Shad in the Columbia and Snake River systems. Catharine Sparks presented “Dementia: Person-Centered Approach to Communication,” in the psychology section.
Lia Knauss, McNair scholar Manual Silva and SOU Geology Professor Jad D’allura presented their collective geology research in the OAS poster section, illustrating their primary research relating to the age and geological history of southern Oregon’s Pilot Rock. Also in the OAS poster section, SOU students Nick Brettner and Levi McKay entered their geology research. With the aid of Geology and Environmental Studies Professor William Elliott, the trio’s presentation outlined their primary research assessing the chemistry of natural waters derived from sulfide-rich bedrock.
In addition to sponsoring three students and serving as the OAS sociology and anthropology section chair, Southard also presented “Attributes Relating to Success in Graduate School.” Her presentation appeared in the sociology, anthropology and political science section.
“Science is not a vacuum. We build on the works of others,” said Southard. “Attending the OAS is a great opportunity for our students to meet scientists with work not yet published or still in progress.”
SOU Business Students Strive in Global Simulation (3/13/08)
Two teams from Southern Oregon University’s (SOU's) Business Strategy and Policy course have stood up to international competition by ranking in the Top 100 of the Business Strategy Simulation Game (BSG). The McGraw-Hill Irwin Higher Education Group-sponsored game is an integrated element of the business course.
Currently, the SOU student management team “Cix” is ranked 21st for best Overall Score performance and ranked 17th for the price of their stocks per share. The rival student team “EWorld Wear” has placed in the BSG Top 100, 36th place for the price of their company’s shares and in 9th place for their return on average equity. The teams’ standings change each week with new teams joining or leaving based on the duration of their academic terms.
More 3,280 teams from 196 colleges and universities worldwide are currently competing in the BSG arena. Six teams from the SOU course are currently participating, with four students per team.
Each team starts the stimulation with the same athletic-wear products and sales volume. Teams use various strategies to outwit the competition, such as finding methods to lower production cost and choosing a focus market. Success is measured by how much the team’s stocks earn per share, as well as their return on equity investment, the stock price appreciation and the company’s credit rating.
“The strategy and policy class is essentially the capstone for the management option of the business administration degree because students are required to use all the skills that they have learned in their core classes, such as marketing and business finances,” said René Ordoñez, School of Business chair and BSG class facilitator. “Their success really speaks to their well-rounded skills in running a business.”
Siskiyou Views: Julia Connor Reads for National Poetry Month (3/12/08)
Celebrate National Poetry Month at Hannon Library with Julia Connor on Thursday, April 10, at 7 pm in the Meese Meeting Room. Connor is currently Poet Laureate of Sacramento and is also well-known as a teacher.
Gary Snyder has called Julia Connor a "well-known, subtle, poetic master." Anne Waldman has "admired the singular lyricism and highly engaged 'ear' of her craft . . . a poet of the first order." Diane di Prima calls her "a strong and powerful voice . . . depicting areas of human experience, and in particular the female experience."
Connor studied at the Poetics Program of New College in San Francisco with Robert Duncan, David Meltzer and others and has taught in a wide variety of graduate MFA programs, such as Naropa University's Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, as well as state prisons. She teaches poetry workshops for all levels of experience and has taught at places as diverse as the Surprise Valley Writers Conference, Cedarville, California; Nathan Mayhew Seminars, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts; and Emerson College, Sussex, England. Connor teaches ongoing classes in Sacramento where she was named Poet Laureate in 2005. She will be teaching workshops in Ashland, Oregon, July 25 through 27, 2008.
In addition to poetry, Connor is also an accomplished painter and potter. She studied under master potter Ralph Baccera at the Chouinard Institute in Los Angeles. A life-long protégée of renowned potter, poet and educator M.C. Richards (author of Centering in Poetry, Pottery and Person) she now serves as Ms. Richards’ literary executor. She is the recipient of many fellowships, including Centrum Arts in Washington, the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation in New Mexico and the California Arts Council.
This reading is co-sponsored by Hannon Library and the SOU Foreign Languages and Literatures Department. Julia Connor's books will be available for purchase at the reading. Siskiyou Views events are free and open to the public, and are held in the Hannon Library Meese Meeting Room on the SOU Ashland campus. For more information, call 541-552-6835.
NWCCU Reaffirms SOU Accreditation (3/11/08)
Southern Oregon University’s (SOU's) Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) regional accreditation has been renewed.
In the NWCCU report, released on February 5, 2008, the Commission found the dedication and commitment of SOU faculty and staff to student learning, personal well-being and development commendable. Furthermore, a high level of student satisfaction stemmed from meaningful faculty and staff interactions. The Commission also recognized SOU’s diverse and successful community outreach efforts, including non-credit programs serving the educational needs of youth, older adults and working professionals in the Rogue Valley.
The NWCCU renewal and report were based on SOU’s Fall 2007 Comprehensive Evaluation Report, which was a university-wide self-study and a subsequent Commission site visit that took place in October 2007.
“I am very thankful to the many folks who participated in the self-study and extremely proud that SOU fared so well in the evaluation process,” wrote SOU President Mary Cullinan in her November 5, 2007, SOU Blog. “I’m delighted that the visiting team noted our effective teamwork over the past difficult year, as well as our strong student focus and our outreach to the diverse populations of southern Oregon.”
The NWCCU accreditation was a voluntary, reflective process allowing postsecondary institutions, like SOU, to examine their overall performance, integrity and dedication to the higher education community.
New University Seminar Class offered on Medford Campus (3/6/08)
Southern Oregon University (SOU) introduces a new lower-division University Seminar class designed especially for transfer students. Titled “Worlds and Writing,” USEM 225 is reserved for students with at least 24 transfer credits. This course is part of the lower division general education requirement mandatory for all SOU students.
USEM 225 especially appeals to working SOU students because the class is only held one night a week, making it more accessible to those with particularly busy schedules. For spring term 2008, the 4-credit class is offered Tuesdays from 5:30 pm to 9:20 pm on the University’s Medford campus.
The class offers students instruction and practice in meeting goals, as well as developing communication, critical thinking, and information literacy skills. Emphasizing real-world and professional prose, USEM 225 students learn advanced styles and techniques to address their audiences. These skills are honed by focusing on the critical thinking, reading, and writing needed to communicate within the business and academic worlds.
“Captivating activities, interaction with other students and the instructor, and personal contributions from each student keep the class lively and interesting,” says Doyne Mraz, USEM 225 professor. “The focus shifts from class to class, and the writing accomplishes personal goals for each student. Blogs and Wikis, employment writing, and information literacy command fun and interest for the working student.”
SOU is Now More Accessible for Transfer Students (3/6/08)
Southern Oregon University (SOU) has expanded the list of community college courses that directly transfer to SOU, making the transition to the University that much easier. Beginning in fall 2008, a wider selection of transfer courses satisfy the lower division University Studies, or general education, requirements.
Lower division credits earned from other institutions—even earned as part of associate of arts, sciences, or applied sciences degrees—do not necessarily meet the general education requirement, unless those credits have the University’s endorsement. Now the number of authorized lower division courses has grown.
With expanded General Education Transfer Equivalencies, more courses from Oregon community colleges—as well as College of the Siskiyous, College of the Redwoods, and Shasta College—will fulfill the lower division general education requirements. In addition, individual courses are evaluated, not just the complete course sequences. For example, Portland Community College (PCC) had 130 courses that were applicable toward the general education requirements under the 2007/08 transfer guides. For the 2008/09 school year, 340 PCC courses qualify. By expanding the cross section of courses that fulfill the general education requirements, transferring to SOU never has been easier!
“This is outstanding!” says Linda Davenport, Klamath Community College Business and Management Department chair, referring to the updated transfer guidelines.
Southern Oregon University Student Etiquette Dinner (3/4/08)
The inaugural Southern Oregon University (SOU) Student Alumni Etiquette Dinner will take place Wednesday, March 5, at 5:30 pm in the Rogue River Room of the Stevenson Union.
The Career Development Services Office and the Office of Alumni Affairs have joined forces to provide students with the opportunity to learn dining and networking etiquette.
The guest speaker is Mary McDonald-Lewis, the voice of OnStar (General Motors’ navigation system) heard in millions of cars. She is a corporate facilitator and trainer; director; and actor on stage, film, television, and radio. She has performed vocally in thousands of commercials and has appeared in hundreds of cartoon episodes.
During the etiquette dinner, students will be seated with alumni that have graduated in their major or school. The dinner is preceded by a networking session in which participants get to practice juggling hors d'oeuvres and punch while greeting people and carrying on conversation. During the three-course meal, students will learn the basics of proper dining, from use of the napkin, silverware, and glassware to what to do at the conclusion of the meal—all guided by a panel of professionals.
“We hope that this is the start of a great tradition of bringing our students and alumni together,” says Doreen O’Skea, Director of Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving. “We are so grateful to all of our alumni for attending and to all of our corporate sponsors for making this event possible for our students.”
Sam McCracken Visits Southern Oregon University (3/3/08)
Sam McCracken, Manager of Nike’s Native American Business Program, will speak at Southern Oregon University (SOU) in the Meese Auditorium of the SOU Art Building on March 5 at 5 pm. His lecture will touch on his personal experience of creating his own position within Nike Corporation, niche marketing, and the importance of community engagement. After the lecture, the SOU Hospitality Club will host an hors d'oeuvre party.
McCracken will spend March 6 visiting and speaking in business; physical education, health, and leadership; and communication classes. McCracken will then meet with Native American, Native Alaskan, and Native Hawaiian students to discuss internship possibilities with Nike.
McCracken was instrumental in the development of the “Nike Air Native N7,” which is a shoe designed for Native American athletes. The shoe was specifically designed for the distinct foot shape and foot size of Native American men and women. Nike only distributes the “Nike Air Native N7” to tribal wellness programs and tribal schools nationwide and offers them at wholesale cost, which is $42.80 per pair. While tribal organizations often give away the shoes, they have the option of selling the shoes for their suggested-retail price, roughly $250, as a fundraising tool.
“Sam is an inspiration to our community,” says Chava Florendo, SOU Konaway Nika Tillicum program coordinator. “It is a giant step to see a corporation of Nike’s size taking interest the Native American community.”
Sam McCracken
Southern Oregon University Students Introduce Kids to Chemistry (3/1/08)
The Southern Oregon University’s (SOU's) Chemistry Club presents “Kids and Chemistry.” This event is free and takes place on Saturday, March 1, at the Rogue Valley YMCA in Medford (522 Sixth Street) between 10 am and 2 pm.
More than twenty SOU Chemistry Club members will illustrate and guide children (ages six to thirteen) and parents through a series of fun, safe, hands-on experiments. The Chemistry Club will provide supplies for the experiments, as well as safety goggles. Educational handouts will be available so participants can continue their involvement with chemistry at home.
During the event, participants will tackle eight experiments and games. In the game “Element Bingo,” traditional Bingo numbers are replaced with periodic symbols. The players use a periodic table for reference to match the symbols to their corresponding elements. In the experiment “Chemical Exchange Indictor,” adding acid bases to water illustrates how the liquid’s PH balance changes, thus altering its color. For the activity “Alka-Seltzer Rockets,” participants add Alka-Seltzer tablets to water in capped film canisters. After shaking the canister, the built pressure turns the plastic container into a mini rocket.
“Our goal is to promote science, chemistry in particular, to the younger generation,” says Marshall Goenawan, SOU Chemistry Club president and ACS (American Chemical Society) biochemistry major. “We want kids to know that chemistry can be fun and exciting.”
