Southern Oregon University

Southern Oregon University

Former names	Ashland Academy Ashland College Ashland College and Normal School Ashland Collegiate Institute Southern Oregon State Normal School Southern Oregon Normal School Southern Oregon College of Education Southern Oregon College Southern Oregon State College
Type	Public
Established	1872
President	Linda Schott
Provost	Susan Walsh
Academic staff	227
Administrative staff	749
Students	6,203 (Fall 2014)
Undergraduates	4,490 (Fall 2014)
Postgraduates	752 (Fall 2014)
Location	Ashland, Oregon, United States Coordinates: 42°11′10″N 122°41′38″W / 42.186°N 122.694°W / 42.186; -122.694
Campus	Rural College Town 175 acres (71 ha)
Colors	Red & Black
Athletics	NAIA Cascade Collegiate Conference
Sports	12 Varsity Teams
Nickname	Raiders
Mascot	Red Tailed Hawk
Website	sou.edu

Southern Oregon University (SOU) is a public liberal arts college located in Ashland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1926, it was formerly known as Southern Oregon College (SOC) and Southern Oregon State College (SOSC). SOU offers programs in business, economics, criminology, natural sciences, including environmental science, Shakespearean studies and theatre arts programs. It is headquarters for Jefferson Public Radio and public access station Rogue Valley Television. SOU is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges.

Southern Oregon University began as Ashland Academy in 1872, founded in part by Reverend Henry Skidmore of Oregon's Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1878, the school was renamed Ashland College, and then renamed Ashland College and Normal School in 1879. In 1887, the State of Oregon proclaimed the school an official state normal school. However, the state did not provide any funding for the school, and in 1890 the school closed. In 1892, the school selected a new site in the city with financial assistance from Methodists in Portland, and construction began on what was named the Ashland Collegiate Institute. The school reopened in 1895 as the Southern Oregon State Normal School (SOSNS), and state funding began in 1899.

In 1904, the school became a full state school, but funding was eliminated in 1909, leading to the closing of the campus. In 1926, the state reestablished Southern Oregon State Normal School in Ashland at a new location on land donated by the city, where the university is currently located. The residents of Ashland passed the "Normal School Site Bonds" to build the new facility. The building was later named Churchill Hall after SOSNS' president Churchill who oversaw the relocation project. Churchill now serves as Southern's administrative building, with the president's office on the first level. Churchill Hall closely resembles Eastern Oregon University's Inlow Hall. Both buildings were built at during the same time from the same architecture semantics. The buildings were designed by architect John Bennes and retain their original Renaissance style.