2021 Winter Retirees newsletter

Winter 2021
Greetings SOU Retirees!
It is that time of year when SOU Retirees begin to think about sharing
quality time with our retired colleagues! Unfortunately, our luncheon
scheduled for February 12, 2021 had to be cancelled due to the
Covid-19 virus. We had a good program scheduled for you with our
guest speaker President Linda Schott. Since we were not able to meet,
President Schott has sent us the following message :
“Dear University Retirees,
I am sure we are all disappointed that circumstances beyond our control
– the COVID-19 pandemic – have scuttled plans for this year’s
luncheon meeting of the SOU Retirees Association. I will tell you now
what I would have told you if we’d been able to meet: SOU would not be
the institution that it is today, if not for your combined hundreds of years
of service and your ongoing support.
It is safe to say that the pandemic has affected all of us over the past
year – some of us more personally than others. It has also left an
indelible mark on our university. It may be years if not decades before
all of our students, faculty and staff members are able to go about their
business of teaching and learning without at least some nagging
thoughts of social distancing and mask-wearing.
We are on track to move beyond the virus over the next several months,
and certainly we will return to many of the routines we remember as
“normal” – in-person classes, extracurricular activities and social
interactions that may even include handshakes or hugs. We also will
gladly retain some of the adaptations that were forced on us by the
pandemic – and which will make us a better university going forward.
Remote operations, both in the classroom and in academic support
programs, have opened opportunities for adult learners and others who
previously had difficulties accessing our services.

Our majors, minors and certificate programs have become more
focused and nimble. We are collaborating with community partners like
never before to ensure that our graduates are ready for the challenges
and opportunities that await.
We have adapted and survived over the past 10 months, but we have
also prepared our campus to meet the needs of a changing world. We
have positioned SOU to truly become Oregon’s university for the
future.”

We thank President Schott for sending us this message and look
forward to hearing more from her when (if) we are able to meet in
person in May.
In other business:
There was incorrect information in the Fall newsletter regarding parking
permits at SOU. If you have a parking permit and need to renew this
permit, you may go online to renew your permit at:
This is the best way to contact the Parking Department. I apologize for
the error.
The recipient for the SOU Retirees Association Scholarship Award this
year went to Sarah Ross. We were able to award her $1,200 for the
academic year. She is a sophomore in Environmental Science with a
minor in Spanish.
As of December 31, 2020, there is $55,410 in our scholarship account.
We should be able to offer another scholarship of $1,200 for next year.
Our next meeting is scheduled for May 7, 2021 at the SOU Rogue River
Room beginning with social hour at 11:30 a.m.
We hope to see you there (in person). Until then, take care, stay safe,
and stay healthy!
Bev De La Zerda
Leadership Council Volunteer