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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Calendar: Saturday, Oct. 25 Helman students illustrate kindness, love Newly renovated Ashland Hills hosts open house SOU's 'Count Me In' campaign raises $210,000 Aquatics backer announces write-in candidacy for Parks & Rec board Education Helman students illustrate kindness, love SOU's 'Count Me In' campaign raises $210,000 Fun, fundraising and art at Helman Elementary School Ashland mourns death of former coach Stan Gida Goal not reached, but don't count out 'Count Me In' yet Environment Rite Aid cub well, could come back to southern Oregon Report: Smaller streams need further protection Bear cub wanders into Rite Aid Kalmiopsis' future at stake if mining goes forward Fires and forests evolved together, but now people are in the mix Business Newly renovated Ashland Hills hosts open house Hot Stuff Espresso Blue Toba erupts onto dining scene Interim president leads in a different direction Silvio Calabi: Acura’s 2015 TLX is two cars in one Politics and elections Aquatics backer announces write-in candidacy for Parks & Rec board Richardson accuses Kitzhaber of 'corruption' in final debate Stricker steps down from Talent council Merkley-Wehby to debate in Medford Ashland land use rule review continues State News Nation - World Obituaries Ronald J. Hupp Death Notices Gary Wayne Campbell Brian Douglas Bellamy Death Notices Sports Latest Stories They're twins, and they're good Royals' Guthrie to face Giants' Hudson in Game 3 App Finder: Best basketball apps No. 11 SOU volleyball team returns home for two key matches Ashland mourns death of former coach Stan Gida High school They're twins, and they're good Ashland mourns death of former coach Stan Gida What slump? Grizzlies drop-kick Eagles Grizzlies row to raise money for regatta Grizzlies run out of magic in loss to No. 3 Springfield Southern Oregon University No. 11 SOU volleyball team returns home for two key matches Ashland mourns death of former coach Stan Gida SOU football team falls to No. 7 in NAIA rankings No. 4 SOU, No. 3 Carroll to square off in Frontier Conference showdown Third-ranked Concordia strikes quick, topples SOU Opinion Latest Stories Our View: Fix the 'free speech zone' Teaching the First Amendment Granlund cartoon: New York Ebola Jim Brock: Should government legalize gay marriage? Amy Gehrt: Your vote counts this Election Day Editorial Our View: Fix the 'free speech zone' Our View: Cheering Ashland's own Kitzhaber is the better choice Our View: Merkley, with a nudge Our view: Positive about Bates Letters Letters to the Editor, Oct. 24 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 23 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 21 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 21 Letters to the editor Guest opinions Teaching the First Amendment Guest Opinion: Media are part of the pot prohibition problem Wilderness successes could be lost if funding not restored Religion and politics in America City should revise its rules for murals Revels Latest Stories Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Repertory singers prepare 'powerful' opening concert Griffin heads to Historic Ashland Armory Best Bets Oct. 23-30 'Fury' shows the grim toll of war Theater New plays debut at ANPF Music Repertory singers prepare 'powerful' opening concert Q&A: Broken Down Guitars The Farr Side: Bryan Adams releases album of influential hits Tutunov Piano Series begins at SOU Q&A: Becky Alter Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk Movies Movie review: ‘Whiplash’ hits high notes Movie review: ‘Birdman,’ Keaton soar Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas 'Fury' shows the grim toll of war Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Portal to freedom and expanded human potential Frank Talk: A little Halloween humor circa 1970 Barry Lewis: The idiot light Community Blog: Predicting Peace - Part 6 of 7 Dr. Jeff Hersh: Controversy over breast cancer screening Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs NEWS NOW Calendar: Saturday, Oct. 25 ... Our View: Fix the 'free speech zone' ... Teaching the First Amendment ... Calendar: Saturday, Oct. 25 ... Our View: Fix the 'free speech zone' ... Teaching the First Amendment ... SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY Interim president leads in a different direction At every stop of his career, Roy Saigo has jumped into the trenches — sometimes living in the dorm rooms weeks at a time — to enhance his perspective on what would make the particular campus more appealing to students. By Greg Stiles For the Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Greg Stiles For the Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 20, 2014 @ 6:01 pm By Greg Stiles For the Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 20, 2014 @ 6:01 pm » Social News During his lengthy tenure on college campuses in the Midwest and South, Roy Saigo established himself as a change agent, and his role is no different now that he's leading Southern Oregon University as its interim president. The veteran academic shared his vision and leadership style during Monday's Chamber of Medford/Jackson County Forum at Rogue Valley Country Club. Whether it's making an on-the-spot fix for a locator map, ensuring campus benches suit their intended purpose or pursuing a new source of students, Saigo seizes the moment. At every stop of his career, Saigo has jumped into the trenches — sometimes living in dorm rooms for weeks at a time — to enhance his perspective on what would make the particular campus more appealing to students. "Fresh eyes, folks, when you look at your business is extremely, extremely important," Saigo said, illustrating his point from the moment he arrived in Ashland. When he and his wife, Barbara, pulled into the campus visitors' parking lot in July, two cars with prospective students and their families arrived at the same time. They were all puzzled about where they were at the moment. His wife suggested they look at the campus map. "So she went over to the map, and there is no, 'You are here,' " he said. "We had received a phone number, and I said, 'We need a 'You are here.' " The voice on the other end of the line suggested the buildings and grounds staff takes care of such matters. "I said, 'No, ma'am, we are losing students as I speak, they are leaving the parking lot,' " he said. "I need for you to come down with masking tape and a red marker to put it on the map. It was taken care of that afternoon." When he arrived, Saigo said, he saw a campus needing to pull together as a team. "I didn't feel that was happening," he said. He sat down with the Service Employees International Union, maintenance crew, residence hall staff, information technology and management leaders and coaches. His message to all was the same: Find ways to improve the university. He called the custodians together for a meeting at 10 one evening. "They were wondering what was up, and I said, 'Folks, I'm so pleased that you are here with me tonight. You are invisible, working afternoons and graveyard shifts, and we don't see you. But we see your work. If you don't do your job, and the bathrooms are dirty and the hallways are dirty, it takes only about 15 seconds to decide whether you want to come to this institution or not.' " He asked the custodial staff to tell him about ways to make SOU better and more welcoming. "I would not know that, and I have no way of finding out," he said. "It helped to build more teamwork for the institution than we had before." During one of his first SOU cabinet meetings, Saigo recalled, double-digit enrollment declines were mentioned, and the conversation moved down the agenda. "I said, 'Wait a minute, let's come back to that,' " he said. "Why aren't we talking about the issue? The answer was that the admissions people take care of that. I spoke some French about there — I never realized that French has so many American words." He learned that some of the school's dorm rooms were unfilled. He suggested giving dormitory scholarships and not worry if some students had paid more than others. "Let's follow the airlines' motto that we don't fly with an empty seat," Saigo said. "We became a team that week." To that end, financial aid, admissions, honors college, housing, faculty, administrators, information technology and counseling staffs went to work. Calls went out to as many as 2,000 students, who weren't planning to return. "Everybody came together," he said. "When you see or feel that kind of spirit, you can get your arms around it. You have all had that at some time in your life or career. It's something basically priceless." He related a story from a single mom in Medford who said she couldn't afford to send her son back to SOU. "When you are poor, you don't have the energy or strength or even the audacity to ask for help," Saigo said. Ultimately, the student qualified for financial aid, received a dormitory scholarship and enrolled that afternoon. "She thanked us with tears in her eyes," Saigo said. "Every one of us — faculty and staff — are going to focus on helping, mentoring, advising and, yes, even wiping away tears. If we can do that, treating every student as if he or she are our child, we will be the most successful institution in the state. Reach Main Tribune reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31, and read his blog at www.mailtribune.com/Economic Edge.       By Greg Stiles For the Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Greg Stiles For the Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 20, 2014 @ 6:01 pm » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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