About
Southern Oregon University (SOU) is a public university in Ashland, Oregon, United States. It was founded in 1872 as the Ashland Academy, has been in its current location since 1926, and was known by nine other names before assuming its current name in 1997. Its Ashland campus, located 14 miles (23 km) from Oregon's border with California, encompasses 175 acres (71 ha). Five of SOU's newest facilities have achieved LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. SOU is headquarters for Jefferson Public Radio and public access station Rogue Valley Community Television. The university has been governed since 2015 by the SOU Board of Trustees.
Southern Oregon University is organized into four schools and colleges: Business, Education, Arts & Humanities, and Natural & Social Sciences. About 60 bachelor's degree, graduate, and certificate programs are offered. Most of SOU's academic programs are on the 10-week quarter system. The university's Oregon Center for the Arts enjoys a collaborative relationship with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, located in downtown Ashland.