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http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Local Issues Obituaries Weather Archive Revels Etcetera Backpage Hot Topics Most Viewed Forum Photo Galleries Video Readers Polls O-Zone Online Games Movie Preview Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Top Galleries: January 23, 2007 SOU president announces more cuts By Alan Panebaker Ashland Daily Tidings ABOVE: Southern Oregon University President Mary Cullinan, left, listens to provost Earl Potter, right, answer questions during the provisional plan meeting on Monday. FRONT: Rachel Shapiro, A Geology Major, holds back tears while asking the board to rethink their decision to cut geology in the near future. Orville Hector | Daily Tidings In a second round of budget cuts at Southern Oregon University, President Mary Cullinan announced a provisional plan Monday calling for the elimination of three majors and 24 faculty positions. Cullinan addressed about 300 students, faculty and local residents — outlining the need to cut $4 million from the university's expenditures to make up for a shortfall in funding. The faculty cuts will come from 17 departments including English, biology, computer sciences, environmental studies and the library. These reductions add to the elimination of 17 nonacademic jobs announced Jan. 8 and eight vacant positions that will not be filled. Students from the German, geology and geography programs (the three that will be potentially eliminated) lined up to question the president about their futures at Southern Oregon University. "There is nothing that we've cut that some people do not feel very strongly about," Cullinan said in answering questions. "I really think if we can turn this state around, we can get them to start funding higher education." Declines in state funding coupled with the university's declining enrollment have led to the current fiscal situation, university administrators say. The plan opens a 20-day comment period that will end on Feb. 19. On March 5, the university administration will announce a formal plan. Emotion filled the Stevenson Union's Rogue River Room at SOU as students reacted with sadness over losing some of the university's smallest programs. Some cried, and one voiced dismay that the university would not cut any vice president positions or any sports teams. Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Earl Potter III explained that a decline in enrollment of about 600 students since 1999 left the university with too many programs for its student body. Potter said the university avoided making difficult choices over the years, and now it is faced with drastic cuts. "The wrenching thing is that the amount of change we have to absorb in a short period of time is greater than any academic institution should have to go through," he said. If the tentative provisional plan goes through as is, it would leave the university with 34 academic programs instead of 37, and the schools of arts and letters, social sciences and sciences would be combined to create the College of Arts and Sciences. The honors program would also be eliminated. University vice presidents assessed individual programs and took comments after the president's initial announcement in November. "During the comment period, a seed was planted that has now grown into an exciting new model for a College of Arts and Sciences," Cullinan said. "This model would enable us to make reductions while preserving the integrity or our programs, the quality of our teaching, and the commitment to our students." Some of the position reductions will also be made through retirements. For professors and students whose programs may disappear, the change is tough. Sandra Coyner has directed the honors program at SOU for six years and has been a professor there for 11. She said the overall budget reductions at the university are a step in the right direction, but cutting the honors program doesn't seem like the best place to start, she said. "It's not fair to say, 'if you're smart, go somewhere else,'" she said. In the one-room office that makes up the honors program at SOU, Coyner explained how she thought the egression of the honors program could turn some high-achieving students away. "When you assemble a group of these students into a classroom, they change everything," she said. "It's magical, and if you disperse those students throughout the university, you lose some of the magic." Amy Burgess, a sophomore at SOU, said one of the reasons she decided to attend the university instead of Rogue Community College was the honors program. She said the honors classes help her and other students stay engaged by learning how to learn rather than just how to pass a multiple choice test. "I'm not so much worried about my degree, but I am worried that the honors program will be cut, and the level of education will go down," Burgess said. Dr. John Richards, chair of the geography department, is dealing with the restructuring of his department, also. Of four professors, two have retired in the last three years. A partnership with the environmental studies program could mean new and innovative things for the department, he said, but merging into another program will be hard. "I'm here to design the best possible program with the expertise we have left on campus," he said. Richards said, in 18 years at the university, he has seen budget cuts in 15 of them. He said the continual cuts influence some professors to go elsewhere where they can make more money, but the faculty remains relatively stable. One of the problems, he said, is that many people do not look to the root of the problem. "We have not communicated well to the public that there is a cost to cutting funding for universities," he said. To comment to the president, e-mail [email protected]. The president's provisional plan is online at www.sou.edu /president. Staff writer Alan Panebaker can be reached at 482-3456 x 227 or [email protected] . Current Comments: I wonder what my 2,500 dollars went to for this terms tuition alone? And Im just one of thousands of students who attend SOU heather mooney - ashland, oregon - January 23rd, 1:28 PM By eliminating the honors program, SOU commits to classroom numbers, not good students or course quality. In the long run, savings will be penny-wise, pound-foolish. Big cuts in small but excellent programs may minimize short-term pain but not SOU's long-term slide to extinction. Michael L. Hays ( [email protected] ) - Ashland, OR - January 23rd, 2:06 PM SOU is known for it's Geology program. I know out of state students from CA, MT, and other states that came to SOU for its Geology program. I also know students who came from Brown, U Cincinnati, and other out of state universities to SOU for its Geology Capstone program. I am not even a Geology major. By eliminating majors SOU would lose a draw to the university and will cause many students to transfer therefore losing more money. Cutting whole departments will lose more $ in the long run. Clark - Ashland, OR - January 23rd, 2:32 PM "If we can get this state turned around we can get them to start funding higher ed." Huh? Are you joking? You recently turned it around by running big business and industry out of the state. Remember? Tourism was the answer. Hard working, tax-paying, members of communities had to pick up and leave with these jobs. Now it's no money for libraries,elementary schools,university's. Huh? Who's driving this bus anyway? All you anti-industry/big business zealots stand up and be counted now. FormerAshlandtimberman - McCall, ID - January 23rd, 3:03 PM This is another sad moment in the history of the City of Ashland. A quick recap is necessary to assess the state of our lovely city. Briscoe and Lincoln elementary schools have closed. Now, not only is our newly-built library slated to close shortly, but now our university is scheduled for the chopping block. Ashland has become a disgrace to itself. It does not support growth, only stagnation. It used to be voted most beautiful town; now it should be voted most broke town. R. Bounds - Ashland - January 23rd, 3:05 PM If SOU is an academic institution, why are they only cutting academic programs and continuing to fund (and expand) non-academics? When i enrolled at SOU, i was under the impression i was attending an ACADEMIC institution. I see now that i was wrong. Hopefully the administraion can wise up and preserve the little that is left of SOU for future generations. And perhaps consider cutting some athletics or consolidating the residence halls, or not building $million apts on campus--too late. Upset in Ashland - Ashland, Or - January 23rd, 3:29 PM Ashland is indeed a broken town with absurd ideals. It use to be a town where you could walk through the Plaza and the park at night and not have to worry. Try that now. How many times has SOU changed names and what have the name changes led to? It still is SOC to me. I don't think the name changes did anybody any good. You don't need expensive fancy looking buildings to do your job, it's what is on the inside that counts. Look at the big picture; it's people that matter not egos. Jim - Lompoc, Ca. - January 23rd, 3:35 PM As a solution to their money woes and falling enrolement, has anyone at SOU proposed the setting up of an on-line, virtual university, like the University of Phoenix, which is now the nations largest and is rolling in cash. Just wondering. Doug Forsyth - Ashland - January 23rd, 4:07 PM Most of the comments above are fairly correct in my view. SOU's downfall has been it's attraction to glitz and ad hoc innovation. Back when we had 5000+ students and a very straightforward general education structure, the college flourished. Adding buildings, dumping money into what it thought was hi-tech, and 'modernizing' GE moved SOU further down the path of a business adventure. Education is not a business. (Forsyth: copying what we think are other models is partly what has hurt SOU.) Tom Marvin - Ashland - January 23rd, 8:07 PM ...how about a light weight (ie not difficult - OR easy) academic institution is droppng light weight majorts such as "geography" ... also single courses such a s Digital Art are expensive at $700 for locals....a major source of revenue Publius - Ashland - January 23rd, 8:30 PM Hmmm,let me think a minute. Oh,I see how this is playing out! Force a high enough amount of families to move by the cost of housing alone,(resulting in the shut down of precious elementary schools),and don't attract new college blood by all the cuts you're making. Sounds like you have a plan - to clear out the unwanted and attract the older, richer generation. Gee,you'll have plenty of senior housing available! Too bad that there may not be enough young and educated staff left to care for them. Juet ( [email protected] ) - Ashland - January 23rd, 8:30 PM Sure we have, but 'stick it online' is not the solution to every problem. Angela Galvan - Ashland - January 23rd, 8:49 PM R Bounds, although a lack of a certain kind of growth (families with children) in Ashland has something to do with the elementary school closures, it doesn't have any bearing on SOU (enrollment comes from mostly outside of Ashland) or the library (a county function, and the county has been growing, certainly.) Growth is inevitable, but even if it were greater here in town that wouldn't help the county library funding issue or the budget plight of SOU. Susan - Ashland - January 23rd, 9:23 PM Susan -- You might find that the deficit in the college enrollment is fairly close to the number of locals-students no longer here due to the changing economics of the city. Of course another large factor must be the absence of foreign students -- who paid a pretty penny to attend SOU (SOSC, SOC), and who NO LONGER will come to the USA. Arthur - Ashland - January 23rd, 9:59 PM Susan, your remarks are great. However I think you missed my point. I never said that SOU's plight was somehow correlated to the library or elementary school cuts. I simply addressed the facts that Ashland seems to be on the decline concerning educational resources. Schools have closed, the library will close, and SOU will face lower enrollment due to the elimination of the 3 majors. Education is what correlates them together and the simple fact that it is happening here in Ashland. R. Bounds - Ashland - January 24th, 12:27 AM 35 residential properties up hill of the campus. Not counting multi-family apartments downhill of the campus. Check my numbers at www.co.jackson.or.us front counter app. Some of those lots are empty, most are houses. Given average value of property in Ashland, they're sitting on over $12 million dollars of properties that DO NOT contribute to the County Tax Coffers. We all foot the bill on that purchase frenzy. They buy to expand. Now they're contracting. Sell the damn land already!!! I've counted the resources - ashland - January 24th, 6:56 AM I guess the dart landed between G and H when they made the cut selections. As a geology major here I wouldn't be in Ashland if it were not for the geology program. My wife and I wouldn't be here spending an average of about $30,000 a year on housing, eating out, groceries, etc. Deleting this great program is a real waste. Marco - Ashland, Oregon - January 24th, 8:17 AM I am currently a senior in the geology program at SOU. After hearing the news on Tuesday, our whole geology family has been out of sorts. We are doing everything we can to keep the geology department alive. The President speaks of "regional responsibility". Geology is the region! Myself and other students are very active in research projects such as structural hazards, water rights, and flood occurances. Please let the President and Legislature know that southern Oregon needs geology!!! Brian Reyes - Ashland OR - January 24th, 8:52 AM University finances are more complicated than most people realize, and much of the funding is specific to certain areas (such as the building upkeep and land purchases). These funds and assets cannot be transferred to just any program that needs them. The money is set aside by the state government which hands out these funds. I wouldn't be attacking the University officials for these cuts. Look to the Oregon government, 48th in the country for funding higher education. J Cook - Talent, OR - January 24th, 10:44 AM Please cut some sports programs-- sports are not what university is about! Next, cut some more of the administrative fat. It is there. Make the budget transparent. And save as many academic positions and programs as possible. They ARE what university is about! I am especially disappointed to think that geology might be sacrificed. This university resides in a geologically rich location and is a perfect place to gather geological knowledge. Stand strong SOU and boldy retain such programs. Jonathan - ashland - January 24th, 12:26 PM Thanks, R Bounds, for the clarification. I agree that the elem. schools, the library, and the SOU problems are a sad event with an education connection. There is some good education news, though, with the community support for the activities levy and the recent passage of the school bond. I am disappointed with the SOU cuts, but hopefully these hard changes will soon be past and SOU can stabilize and continue to add to our community in all the many ways it does. Susan - Ashland - January 24th, 3:25 PM Why are funding issues so complicated? The land that the college has bought affects the LOCAL economy, and when SOU cut back programs, they affect the LOCAL economy. So WHY is it that Salem gets to sit, unaffected, atop the decision dog-pile? They buy that land and remove it from tax roles,affecting the LOCAL economy. They cry for$6million, yet they're sitting ontop of $12million that is totally non-contributing to academia. WHAT GIVES WITH THAT? Would be nice to see SOU get out realestate game. This can be done better - ashland - January 25th, 6:30 AM I am very disappointed that intercollegiate athletics at SOU did not come in for greater scrutiny. The absolute bottom line is that athletic programs, except at a small number of elite institutions, bring neither net revenue nor increased enrollment at lower tier schools. Dropping athletics, save for intramural and health/fitness programs, and renewing SOU's emphasis on academic excellence would do more tro salvage the college than any other steps. pat ahyes - ashland, oregon - January 25th, 11:47 AM I had better experiences outside of Honors classes with respect to content and class quality. You don't need an Honors tract to demand more of your students. Heather: your tuition is already partially suplemented by the state of Oregon. The issue is, they used to pay more dollars per SHC than they do now. There's no single sentence answer to explain why SOU is in the situation it's in now. It is a culmination of many small things over a long period of time. Angela Galvan - Ashland - January 25th, 2:21 PM As to cutting athletics, at the presentation by the president last Monday it was explained that the athletic program is self-supporting. In fact athletics will now be asked to contribute more money to the university than they already have been. To cut athletics would not only not save money, but would cost SOU even more. Susan - Ashland - January 25th, 4:34 PM No cuts to the theatre program because of it's attraction to drama wannabes coming because of shakespeare. Sounds like more reliance on tourism industry. Just how many viable (ie self supporting) jobs come out of the theatre. So sorry to hear about any cuts to programs that provide a real educational foundation. cascadesenior - ashland or - January 25th, 7:02 PM I am extremely dissappointed to see the Geology program go. That was one of the best programs in the school with some of the finest professors in the state. Cutting degree options will only further decrease enrollment, leaving SOU with only drama majors. Very dissappointing!! Ryan - Middle of Nowhere, CO - January 25th, 8:47 PM The athletic department is NOT self-supporting. A large percentage of their budget comes from student fees, a kind of 'tax' students pay to support programs on campus. They fundraise to a point, but are not self-sufficient. We'd lose tuition generating bodies by cutting athletics, but lose graduates with high income potential by cutting Geology. I don't see how SOU can cut Geology and launch any alumni campaign in the same sentence. 500 characters is a bit restrictive. I'll post in the forum. Angela Galvan - Ashland - January 25th, 11:12 PM Cutting athletics is not the answer. These athletes are students as well, who also gradute(at a higher rate) and pay tuition and fees. SOU does not give out "free rides" to athletes, these are men and women who not only compete intercollegiately but are also students. Why not look above. Those administrators making these decisions, are making HEFTY salaries! Why not cut those or at least reduce what they make! The reality is, there is no quick fix, it's about retention/recruitment of student Kathyrn - Ashland - January 27th, 10:53 PM Still want to know what the U is doing with ALL that residential property ( 35 and counting) above the college...it's not responsible to cry fire when you're sitting on a ton of water. They're taking away tax base and crying for more money. This is not right; the U should be forced to divest itself of residential lots it can't IMPROVE in the immediate future. WASTE of cash. Double WHAMMY. Tax dollars taking away tax dollars. Does anybody else see the absurdity? Still want to know... - ashland Oregon - January 30th, 6:50 PM The football team at SOU draws a smaller crowd than the high school team. Between sports funding and administration salaries, it is unfortunate the school has decided instead to cut academic programs. jason ( [email protected] ) - Oakland CA - February 1st, 1:16 PM Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising: Debt Help Inkjet Printers Payday Loans Free Ringtones Debt Consolidation Water Filter Security Systems Debt Relief Advertisement: Copyright © 2007 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved. Del.icio.us