NEWSFLASH
March 23, 2020
Spring Courses Cancelled / Remote Access Only
Oregon Governor Kate Brown issued an executive order last Thursday that directed Oregon’s colleges and universities to significantly reduce in-person operations . In the interest of public health and in compliance with the Executive Order by Governor Brown, SOU has moved to remote delivery of services and classes during Spring term. Since this applies to all OLLI activities as well, all Spring term classes listed in the Spring catalog are cancelled. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate these difficult times together.

Please use email ( olli@sou.edu ) and the telephone (541-552-6048) to contact the office for assistance. In the event that you have OLLI business that cannot be handled by telephone or email, you may schedule an appointment to come in. In compliance with the policies of SOU, OLLI staff will be primarily working remotely. Please do not come to the office without prior arrangement.

We do not know of any active cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus reported at Southern Oregon University or in the OLLI community. The university is closely monitoring the global COVID-19 situation daily, and continues to follow the guidance of the CDC, Oregon Health Authority, and Jackson County Public Health.

As before, we recommend that you stay up-to-date with official sources about the virus:

It is our hope to provide some online courses to our members this Spring. We are surveying OLLI's wonderful instructors to see if any of their courses can be offered in this manner. OLLIs nationwide are also pooling their resources of recorded lectures and courses in order that other OLLIs can offer their members a menu of online learning opportunities. Additionally, we are working with OLLI's leadership to develop additional means of keeping OLLI members engaged and connected while we are physically separated. Please stay tuned for details. We will provide an update as soon as the information becomes available.
Community Resources
While we are staying home to protect our individual and community health, OLLI will share information about local resources that members may find useful. Please note that this information may change without notice.

RogueValley.Recovers.Org is a link to the Rogue Valley Preparedness and Recover Hub, includes local information including opportunties to:
  • Request help
  • Donate supplies
  • Volunteer

Ashland Senior Services has compiled a list of grocery stores in Ashland and Talent that are offering special shopping times for seniors and others with special health concerns. Click here to download the list (PDF).

Many local cities have created webpages listing resources available to support residents during the pandemic.
Lifelong Learning Resources
We are working with OLLI instructors and leadership to make some OLLI courses available online this spring, and to create opportunities to engage and connect online as well. We will also share links to lifelong learning opportunities offered by other organizations.

OLLI Chico has links to their own and other OLLIs who have posted educational videos: https://rce.csuchico.edu/osher/olli-virtual-learning

Click here to enroll for free in the popular Yale course, the Science of Well-Being, online.

Click here to access 25 of the most popular TED talks, covering a wide range of intriguing topics.

Be a citizen scientist, check in to see what's happening with eagles nesting in Decorah, Iowa. Click here for a link to the nestcam. There are also many other live cameras on a wide variety of wildlife.

Watch lectures by Nobel prize winners at this link: https://www.nobelprize.org/mediaplayer/?id=1502

If you have an e-reader, click here to access 800 free book downloads.
Stay together while we're apart–like us on Facebook. OLLI's Facebook page posts education opportunities and other enrichment information daily. It also offers members the option to add your recommendations and reviews, and interact with other members. Click here for the OLLI at SOU Facebook page.

Please note, members who are not Facebook users can see these posts on the OLLI website.