President Richard J. Bailey, Jr., Ph.D. - Office of the President at SOU

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

On behalf of the students, faculty, and staff at 91꾑욋, we invite you to learn more about us, and to join혻our혻amazing혻team.

Watch June 2026 Video Message

President Bailey visits Laurel Field at Raider Stadium for this month�셲 video message, focusing on the upcoming 91꾑욋Commencement. �쏧t�셲 always our best day of the year, where we celebrate our graduates with their families and the community,�� President Bailey says. �쏻e get to see students achieve their educational dreams.�� He acknowledges that this year�셲 graduation ceremony comes at an unsettled time. �쏷here are a lot of questions about the future of higher education �� not just at SOU, but across the state and around the country,�� he says. But he emphasizes that 91꾑욋is stable, operational and will continue serving students and the southern Oregon region for many years. The university�셲 current transformation requires reducing SOU�셲 $100 million annual budget by about a fifth, but President Bailey is leading an effort to gain positive results from that painful process. �쏽ou are going to start to see some plans for how we are going to do that, and likely become a role model �� really for the rest of the state, and probably for the rest of the country �� in terms of regional public universities,�� he says. �쏷here is a path for SOU, and one worth fighting for.�� He tells viewers that there are �쐓o many ways�� supporters can help the university, from student recruitment and retention to advocacy and philanthropy.

SEE MORE MESSAGES FROM PRESIDENT RICK BAILEY

Meet 91꾑욋President Richard J. Bailey, Jr., Ph.D.

91꾑욋President Rick Bailey

President Rick Bailey혻joined 91꾑욋in January 2022, after overseeing the resurgence of Northern New Mexico College during five-plus years as president. He previously completed a 24-year career in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a full colonel and command pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours.

Dr. Bailey earned accolades on and off campus while at Northern New Mexico College, increasing enrollment by more than 20 percent, cutting student loan defaults by more than 50 percent and more than doubling the college�셲 graduation rate �� all without an increase in tuition rates. He also brokered an NNMC partnership for the construction of a 1.5 megawatt solar array to lower utility costs for at least 30 years. He led the creation of the Northern New Mexico College Eagle Corporation �� the college�셲 first such venture �� allowing the institution to partner with business entities for the purpose of diversifying the college�셲 revenue streams.

Prior to his hiring as president at NNMC, Dr. Bailey was the first-ever dean of students at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies at Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Bailey was also the associate professor of strategy and security studies.

FAVORITES

Food �� Anything Diana and I make together
Book �� “Founding Brothers” by Joseph Ellis
Quote �� I have two: “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice,” from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and “There is no limit to the good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit,” from General George Marshall
Author �� Jon Meacham
Movie �� “Dave”
TV Show �� “West Wing”

He also served as a military liaison and defense trade analyst at the U.S. State Department after earning his doctorate from Georgetown University in 2006. He then served as NATO�셲 chief air operations officer at Joint Force Command Brunssum in The Netherlands, overseeing air operations for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

Bailey received his Air Force commission in 1992, served flying tours in the C-9A, C-141B, and UV-18B aircraft and has been an aircraft commander, instructor pilot and flight혻examiner.

Dr. Bailey earned his bachelor�셲 degree in engineering sciences from the U.S. Air Force Academy, his master�셲 degree in international affairs from Washington University in St. Louis and his doctorate in government from Georgetown University.

PETS

11 Chickens (“It’s a long story…”)

HOBBIES

Songwriting (“Luckily, it isn’t my day job”), Traveling, Reading

SURPRISINGLY LITTLE-KNOWN FACT ABOUT BAILEY

Placed 9th in 1983 National Spelling Bee (“Thank goodness there are no photos”)

His unflinching focus is on student success and the innovative operational approaches that make higher education attainable to learners of all backgrounds and ages. His master�셲 thesis was on the struggle for women�셲 rights in Latin America and his doctoral dissertation examined changes in U.S. military policy brought about by integration in the armed services.

In his first few years at 91꾑욋, Dr. Bailey led a collaborative and inclusive campus-wide initiative, 91꾑욋Forward, which tackled the institution�셲 $13 million budget shortfall and planted the seeds for a more entrepreneurial approach to a thriving and more resilient fiscal future. The institution also established groundbreaking data-sharing partnerships with ten public school districts in the state, contributing to the highest first-year enrollment gains in over five years. He also instituted SOU�셲 first ever �쁓uper Cabinet�� entity, which incorporates sharing governance leaders and union partners in a monthly strategic issues forum, the first of its kind in the state.

Dr. Bailey and his wife, Diana, love enjoying travel, music and adventure together.

Contact the Office of the President

SOU혻Office of the President
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
Office: 541.552.6111
presidentsoffice@sou.edu