Just arrived on campus, SOU’s new president has big plans

ASHLAND, Ore. —Southern Oregon University’s new president hosted a news conference during his first full day in office Tuesday.

Richard Bailey Jr. holds a doctorate in Government from Georgetown University, a master’s degree in International Affairs from Washington University in St. Louis, and a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Sciences from the US Air Force Academy.

He says he’s ready to join the already strong team that’s in place at SOU. When asked, what drew him to the university, President Bailey says the surrounding community gives him a hometown feel. He says he’s excited for where SOU is going.

“I think the university is in the perfect position to do great things over the next 10 to 20 years and I am excited to be part of it,” said President Bailey.

His first order of business is listening to people at the university, and building respect for its values.

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Jenna King is the 6pm and 11pm anchor for NBC5 News. Jenna is a Burbank, CA native. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Sports Business. During her time at Oregon she was part of the student-run television station, Duck TV. She also grew her passion for sports through her internship with the PAC 12 Network. When Jenna is not in the newsroom you can find her rooting for her hometown Dodgers, exploring the outdoors or binging on the latest Netflix release.
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