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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 Police Reports Measure 92 recount shows little change in Jackson County Ashland: Lions Club steps up for vision tests Police allege Ashland pizza parlor owner tried to blow up building Survey: Ashland is an affordable rental market Education Ashland: Lions Club steps up for vision tests Ashland Rotary Student Youth of the Month: Avery Nicole Jesmer AHS arts festival is Friday AHS, SOU seek arts program director In Portland, mindfulness classes ease stress of high school Environment Home Help: Make your new house feel like home ‘Tis the season — for wild mushrooms Don't like weather where you are? Move a mile or two Salmon: A force of nature can be restored Students nurturing nature Business Survey: Ashland is an affordable rental market Trio of local businesses close their doors Tourism in Ashland: The role of the Chamber’s Visitor & Convention Bureau Silvio Calabi: The world loves a Wrangler The sweet smell of soap-selling success Politics and elections Local rep to testify before U.S. Senate panel Tuesday Kent Bush: First Amendment doesn’t mean what you think it means Miller write-in campaign lands Ashland Parks and Rec seat Granlund cartoon: GOP wrecking balls State News In Portland, mindfulness classes ease stress of high school GMO label measure, losing by 809 votes, headed for recount Resent ballots, late results likely to trigger GMO recount Nation - World Grand jury won't indict Ferguson cop in shooting Obituaries Death Notices Death Notices Marie B. (Aiken) Stella Demo Death Notices Sports Latest Stories Grizzlies get their groove back, crush Mustangs Aldridge passes Porter on Blazers' all-time scoring list in win Two Grizzlies make first-team all-state Atanda named All-America honorable mention Mariota named one of three Heisman finalists High school Grizzlies get their groove back, crush Mustangs Two Grizzlies make first-team all-state North Medford boys run away from Ashland with first-half surge SOU volleyball team's season ends with loss to Vanguard at nationals Southern Oregon roughed up by defending champs Southern Oregon University Two Grizzlies make first-team all-state Atanda named All-America honorable mention Mariota named one of three Heisman finalists Florida, here they come North Medford boys run away from Ashland with first-half surge Opinion Latest Stories Our View: 92 backers should move on Guest Opinion: The environmental tipping point Granlund cartoon: CIA torture report Guest Opinion: Shelter is a basic human right Granlund cartoon: William and Barack Editorial Our View: 92 backers should move on Our View: Raiders are winners Our View: Celebrating more students Our View: A morning well spent Other Views: Tax reform won't be easy Letters Letters to the Editor, Dec. 8 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 5 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 4 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 3 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 2 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: The environmental tipping point Guest Opinion: Shelter is a basic human right Guest Opinion: Refugee children at our border Guest Opinion: Why giving market food vendors 'a break' is poor public policy Guest Opinion: Ashland feeds them, we deal with them Revels Latest Stories Community blog: William Stafford: His Writing, His Life SOU presents all-percussion concert Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists 4 Things to do this Weekend At the movies Theater Meet the real Jacob Marley New design for Bricks takes shape Hard to keep a straight face with 'Red Noses' 'Red Noses' is a romp through slapstick and pathos 'The Drunken City': Bachelorettes meet bar-crawlers Music SOU presents all-percussion concert Peter Chianca: Top 40 songs even a dad could love The Farr Side: Different artists, common songs Longtime area musician Steve Read, 64, dies The Farr Side: CMA telecast was a disappointment Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies At the movies Interview: Benedict Cumberbatch on playing ‘The Imitation Game’ Interview: Reese Witherspoon experiences life in 'The Wild' Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas 'Citizenfour' is a matter-of-fact bore Food and Drink Blue bows out of Granite Street site, Agave moving in Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Lost in Suburbia: Row, row, row your basement Dear Monty: When a lawyer’s fee is four times higher than the quote 5 Things to Do This Weekend (Dec. 12-14) Dave Ramsey: Helping financially irresponsible brother stay on track Shayne Looper: Are you infected with ‘solution aversion?’ Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs NEWS NOW Our View: 92 backers should move on ... Ashland Calendar ... Guest Opinion: The environmental tipping point ... Our View: 92 backers should move on ... Ashland Calendar ... Guest Opinion: The environmental tipping point ... GUEST OPINION Guest Opinion: Save the SOU swimming pool By Cynthia Moscaritolo DailyTidings.com By Cynthia Moscaritolo Posted Nov. 21, 2014 @ 12:01 am By Cynthia Moscaritolo Posted Nov. 21, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Social News Are your readers aware that in a few months, Southern Oregon University is going to be tearing down its swimming pool, replacing it with easy-to-mop gyms and many locker rooms there? Within the $39 million budget for the new Rec Center, the pool is not included. Apparently it’s more important to have loads of gyms and a locker room for every sport, than to allot even $750,000 to keep this ideally situated pool (right next to the new large dormitory.) Is that necessary, bunches of locker rooms at the expense of the pool? The community should have input about the design of this new Rec Center, which will impact us all for decades. A natatorium is a difficult-to-replace university and community asset. Once forfeited, a pool will unlikely be rebuilt on campus. At Monday's ASSOU meeting, I presented an architectural drawing of the existing pool and added a south-facing pool patio, hoping to enlist the students' help in saving the pool. Steps from the new dormitories, it’d be a great place to study or lie in the sun, and would connect the pool to the courtyard beautifully. The 10 members had blank stares. They either feel impotent or that they’re not allowed to change anything, when they do actually have power to speak up and change the situation. I was astounded. I believe most students have no idea what’s about to happen, and if they knew, they’d be angry. There were about 15 of us in attendance from the Rogue Valley Masters swim team who supported Craig Mather, speaker, who urged them to reconsider this pivotal decision. Stephanie Keavenly shot down our hopes before we could even discuss it. They have the ability to turn this around, but chose instead to be policy-oriented above all else, and did not care to even entertain possible solutions. It seems the decision has already been made by the higher-ups, and they aren’t listening to anyone. The pool has not been managed well for a decade. It is a diamond in the rough that has been covered with dust. This is not a private institution. Ashland citizens live here full-time while students pass through. Many groups use the pool, including the Ashland and Phoenix high school swim teams, the Ashland High School water polo team, Rogue Valley Masters (about 50 members), and several campus outdoor aquatics clubs, including scuba, whitewater rafting classes and football rehab practices. Many teams will have nowhere to practice for years because of this, and prospective students may think twice about applying to a university without a pool. Recruitment and retention is a big issue for SOU — shouldn’t they retain and enhance assets they’re fortunate enough to have? How did this happen? The first survey was accessible years ago in a tiny corner of a the student website, Blackboard, and only 200 out of over 6,000 students responded to a survey that never mentioned they would demolish the swimming pool if they voted a certain way. Another more recent survey stated that the pool would cost $2.5 million to $3 million to retrofit, but it did not make clear that the pool itself would cost only $800,000 to renovate. The rest was the cost of locker rooms. This is misleading. I believe it was assumed (by the tiny percentage of students who responded) that the pool was still going to exist. The latest survey was very, very close — GMO-labeling-measure close — supposedly 48 percent to 52 percent. Well, they are now saying the students didn’t want a pool. When I asked some students about it, they said, “I didn’t know they’re demolishing the pool. No way!” Individuals are very frustrated, and don’t know where to turn to express it. I want the students and the entire community to know what’s going on beneath the surface. The pool should not be demolished. It can be retrofitted with hybrid solar heating system at a fraction of the cost of photovoltaic panels, and would tie into the existing heater. It would cut the cost of the pool by 60 percent or more! It is wrong to say this is the students’ fault, that they didn’t care. I don’t think most have a clue what’s going on. What can we as a community do to save the pool? Readers, please spread the word and tell the university you think this is a big mistake! Cynthia Moscaritolo lives in Ashland. By Cynthia Moscaritolo DailyTidings.com By Cynthia Moscaritolo Posted Nov. 21, 2014 @ 12:01 am » 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. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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