91²Ö¿â

Just one topic for this month’s video message from President Bailey, and it’s something you’ve likely heard about in recent weeks – and over the past few years. It’s the imbalance upon which SOU’s financial structure is built – along with those of most public regional universities in Oregon and around the country. The 91²Ö¿âForward plan of 2023 and the Resiliency Plan of 2025 both were developed to address that imbalance, and the president emphasizes that 91²Ö¿âwould not be operating as it is today if those efforts had not taken place. But the underlying issues persist, and are at the root of a cash-flow gap that was fully realized earlier this year. President Bailey thanks the governor, legislative leaders and others for acting quickly in this year’s legislative session to approve a special allocation for 91²Ö¿âthat will enable the university to operate through June 2027. That measure also requires 91²Ö¿âto work with a consultant to develop a long-term financial and operational plan that will serve as the university’s roadmap to stability in the 2027-29 biennium and beyond. Work on the plan – which is due by the end of April – is well underway, and president Bailey asks all interested stakeholders to offer their thoughts and ideas as the plan takes shape.