“Zafari� offers a dystopian portrait of Venezuelan society during a period of severe food scarcity. It is one of four remaining films in a fall festival exploring immigration, exile, displacement, and return within Latin America and between Latin America and the United States.

91´«Ã½ professor Dr. Jill Gibian organized the festival as part of a fall course. With public screening rights secured through film distributor Pragda, the festival is now welcoming a wider audience from campus and the community.

All screenings begin at 6 p.m. in Zabel Hall, Room 101, on the 91´«Ã½ campus. Admission is free, and all films have English subtitles.

• Nov. 9 — “Zafariâ€� (2024). Directed by Mariana Rondón. A live Zoom Q&A with Rondón follows the screening.
• Nov. 16 — “Guie’dani’s Navelâ€� (2019). Directed by Xavi Sala.
• Nov. 30 — “Los lobosâ€� (2019). Directed by Samuel Kishi Leopo, who is expected to participate in a discussion.
• Dec. 7 — “La cocinaâ€� (2024). Directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios.

The festival is made possible by a grant from the Pragda Film Club and support from the Union County Cultural Commission, 91´«Ã½â€™s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Mosaic Center and the 91´«Ã½ Vending Committee.

Learn more about the Nov. 9 film on .

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Performances begin at 7 p.m. Nov. 12, 13, and 14, with a 2 p.m. matinee Nov. 15.

Adapted from the hit 2004 film, the musical follows Cady Heron as she trades a childhood on the African savanna for the unfamiliar social landscape of suburban Illinois. She soon encounters The Plastics, a powerful trio led by the charming but ruthless Regina George.

When Cady and her friends plot to end Regina’s reign, their plan draws Cady deeper into the world she set out to challenge. Along the way, she discovers how quickly the pursuit of popularity can come at the expense of friendship and her own sense of self.

All seating is reserved. Tickets are $17 for general admission and $12 for children, seniors, veterans, and active-duty military personnel. 

Admission is free for 91´«Ã½ students.

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Zur’s expanded paintings blend sculptural physicality with traditional painting techniques to depict objects found in living rooms, exploring themes of grief, love, and the residue of lives lived. 

The exhibition opens with a reception for the artist on Friday, November 13, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Zur’s work explores home as a way to witness what it means to be a guest in the life and death of another. The work investigates what it is to be welcomed into a place both vulnerable and sublime. In these paintings, the guest has come to say farewell.  Bric-a-brac and family heirlooms crowd around the deathbed, remembering a life lived and a soul that loved.  After the stillness arrives, the guest returns. The arrangement of bric-a-brac and family heirlooms remains unchanged, making the lamented feel present still.  It is comforting to be welcomed into their domestic cosmos before that world must be dissolved, to be a guest one more time.

“Zur’s mixed media work invites us to consider our role as a guest in other people’s homes and lives,� said Cory Peeke, Director of the Nightingale Gallery. They encourage us to explore the remnants of a life lived and the grief and love for those lives.

Zur has had her work published in New American Paintings, as well as Friend of the Artist, Studio Visit Magazine, and Create! Magazine.  She has exhibited her work nationally in places such as Museum of Museums, Seattle, WA; CHART Gallery, New York, NY; Stove Works, Chattanooga, TN; SOIL Gallery, Seattle, WA; Young Space; and has artworks in the permanent collection at Soho House, Portland, OR. Zur earned her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2019.

In conjunction with the exhibition, Zur will present a public artist talk on her studio practice and the conceptual framework behind the exhibit. The talk will take place on Thursday, November 12, at 6 p.m. in Huber Auditorium, Badgley Hall.

“Hospitality in a World That Won’t Lastâ€�  will be on view through Friday, December 11. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, follow the Nightingale Gallery on and .

To request images of artwork for publication or to schedule an interview with the artist, please contact Gallery Director Cory Peeke at cpeeke@eou.edu.

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Developed over more than two years by the Josephy Center with geologist Ellen Morris Bishop and Nimiipuu beadworker, geologist, and story collector Roger Amerman, the exhibit sets two ways of reading the land side by side. Geologists use new instruments and techniques to interpret the record held in mountains and valleys, rock and waterways. Nimiipuu oral tradition carries its own long record of that same landscape, including accounts of earthquakes, floods and other cataclysmic events from the distant past, often with Coyote at the center of how people and the natural world relate.

The Nimiipuu hold their landscape in reverence, understanding it as a living being that provides spiritual sustenance as well as food and resources. Through art, photographs, and stories, the exhibit shows that Indigenous stories and place names are far more than myths. They record real past events and landscape features that also inform scientific understanding of the Northwest’s geology.

The exhibit’s creators call this combined Indigenous and scientific understanding “ethnogeology,” an approach also described as “Two-Eyed Seeing”: experiencing a landscape from two cultural perspectives at once.

“Heads and Hearts” is free and open to the public from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. 

is a gathering place to celebrate, promote and inspire arts and culture for all Wallowa County residents and visitors.

To learn more about the Native American Program at 91´«Ã½, visit

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The event will run from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at HQ, located at 112 Depot Street. Organized as a welcoming, community-centered space to follow results as they come in, the gathering is free and open to the public. Free pizza will be provided for attendees while supplies last.   

The watch party is co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Union County, 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½)’s Office of University Advancement, and the PoliSci & Law Club. 91´«Ã½ Professors of Political Science, Drs Daniel Costie and Dustin Ellis, will emcee the event.   

Event Details:

Event: Midterm 2026 Elections Watch Party   

Date & Time: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, from 5:30-8:30 p.m.   

Location: HQ, 112 Depot St, La Grande, OR   

Admission: Free and open to the public   

Refreshments: Free pizza (while supplies last)  

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The event will run from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at HQ, located at 112 Depot Street. Organized as a welcoming, community-centered space to follow results as they come in, the gathering is free and open to the public. Free pizza will be provided for attendees while supplies last.   

The watch party is co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Union County, 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½)’s Office of University Advancement, and the PoliSci & Law Club. 91´«Ã½ Professors of Political Science, Drs Daniel Costie and Dustin Ellis, will emcee the event.   

Event Details:

Event: Midterm 2026 Elections Watch Party   

Date & Time: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, from 5:30-8:30 p.m.   

Location: HQ, 112 Depot St, La Grande, OR   

Admission: Free and open to the public   

Refreshments: Free pizza (while supplies last)  

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91´«Ã½ received the WACES Innovative Counselor Education Program Award, which honors an outstanding, innovative, or unique counselor education program in the western region.

Two 91´«Ã½ faculty members also received individual honors. Dr. Hope Schuermann earned the Professional Service Award, recognizing outstanding service to the association or to the advancement of counselor education and supervision. Dr. Jessica Lloyd-Hazlett received the WACES Research Award, which recognizes significant research in counseling, counselor education, or counselor supervision.

Together, the three awards highlight the contributions of 91´«Ã½â€™s counseling faculty, both through their work preparing future mental health counselors and through their involvement in the profession.

Schuermann and fellow faculty members Drs. Rochelle Cade, Jessica Lloyd-Hazlett, and Jordan Mike attended the conference. All four presented, sharing their work with colleagues from across the region. Schuermann and Mike also participated in conference events as members of the WACES board.

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On Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m., and will join 91´«Ã½ President Dr. Kelly Ryan for the Oregon Votes Town Hall, a free virtual event. Ryan will moderate the conversation.

The nonpartisan discussion will focus on voting and the Nov. 3 state and national General Election, giving participants a chance to learn how Oregon’s elections work, ask questions, and understand why participation matters.

The event is open to the public. and receive the event address or a link to the livestream.

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LA GRANDE, Ore. – (91´«Ã½) is growing in key parts of its student body. Graduate enrollment measured in the fall term rose about 50% between 2023 and 2025, and early fall numbers show continued growth. On-campus enrollment rose 7.5% over the same period. The number of rural students grew 24% from 2024 to 2025. More students are also earning their degrees. 91´«Ã½’s four-year graduation rate increased 7%.

“Our success is measured by outcomes like this. It is important that we live up to the promise of seeing students graduate,” President Kelly A. Ryan said. “We set goals, we did the work, and the numbers show it. More students are finishing at 91´«Ã½ than ever in our records, and we plan to keep going.” 

. The program now serves 129 students across online, on-campus, and hybrid formats, including first-generation students and those from low-income families. In addition, retention grants helped 23 students reach their final terms last year, more than the University’s goal.

Other innovations include 91´«Ã½’s Monty chatbot, which connects with students by text. The chatbot had a 93% opt-in rate and flagged more than 90 students who were at risk of leaving. The Learning Center recorded 2,613 tutoring visits from 524 students. Student engagement rose 18% over 2024, and 76.2% of students who answered a survey said they use the renovated Hoke Student Union more often.

91´«Ã½ secured three grants to increase postsecondary attainment in rural Oregon:

• $400,000 in federal funding for early college programs
• More than $200,000 from the Oregon Department of Education to help immigrant and refugee students move to 91´«Ã½
• $1.3 million from the Oregon Health Authority to prepare rural health professionals

91´«Ã½ also signed the Eastern Alliance, a transfer agreement with Blue Mountain Community College (BMCC). BMCC sent 32 new transfer students to 91´«Ã½ this fall, more than any other school. The university joined Re-UP, a partnership with four other Oregon universities that helps adults with some college credit finish a degree, and 91´«Ã½ launched a new website on Sept. 14.

Student athletes make a vital contribution to enrollment and campus life. . 91´«Ã½ Athletics also ranked 19th in which measures overall athletic program success based on national championship performances. Athletes earned a combined GPA of 3.37 last year, and 48% made the dean’s list.

“Nobody handed us these results,â€� Ryan said. “Our faculty and staff worked hard, academics were prioritized, our students showed up, and 91´«Ã½ is on the right track. We are not done.”

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LA GRANDE, Ore. – 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) has been named No. 34 among Top Public Schools in the West in the latest US News & World Report 2027 Best Colleges rankings. 

In addition to its ranking among Top Public Schools, 91´«Ã½ was also recognized as No. 53 in Top Performers on Social Mobility, and No. 68 in Regional Universities West. The Social Mobility ranking identifies institutions that excel at educating economically disadvantaged students through degree completion and upward economic mobility, and the Regional Universities ranking reflects 91´«Ã½â€™s overall quality, student resources, and regional impact.

“As Oregon’s Rural  Public University, our mission is to serve Oregonians and students regardless of their location, extending high-quality educational opportunities far beyond our immediate region,” said 91´«Ã½ President Kelly A. Ryan. “Being recognized among the top public schools validates the dedicated work of our faculty and staff who show up every day to ensure our students thrive, graduate, and succeed.”

The well-known national publication evaluates and ranks more than 1,700 colleges and universities each year using up to 17 measures of academic quality and graduate success. Student outcomes account for the largest share of each score, focusing on graduation rates, first-year retention, and results of students who receive Pell Grants. US News combines data from school surveys with federal statistics, and a senior academic official at each school must certify the data. 

The rankings underscore a period of strategic progress for 91´«Ã½. Guided by its Ascent 2029 Strategic Blueprint, 91´«Ã½ is actively expanding student access, elevating academic quality, and serving as an educational, economic, and cultural engine for rural communities. These efforts have yielded gains in overall student enrollment, increased retention rates, expanded online access, and service to the region.

To see 91´«Ã½â€™s US News Ranking, visit , or learn more about 91´«Ã½ reporting at eou.edu/insitutional-research.

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Washington Monthly published the ranking on Aug. 30, 2026. The list looks at more than 200 four-year colleges located in small towns and rural areas across the country. It rewards schools that help students from working-class families earn strong wages close to home, without requiring a high bar for admission.

To build the ranking, Washington Monthly measured how many students at each school receive Pell Grants, how much students pay after aid, how much debt they carry at graduation, and how much alumni earn four years later. The magazine also gave credit to schools that keep graduates working in the state and that produce degrees in fields rural communities need most, such as education, nursing, agriculture, and engineering.

“This national recognition is proof that together we are accomplishing our mission to serve rural students and communities,” said President Kelly A. Ryan. “91´«Ã½ is delivering life-changing education that empowers our graduates and strengthens our region.”

91´«Ã½ has trained teachers, entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, and other professionals for rural Oregon since 1929. The University was named Oregon’s Rural University by the state legislature in 2018 and continues to focus on serving students in La Grande and across the region.

For more information about 91´«Ã½ and its academic programs, visit eou.edu.

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For 91´«Ã½ graduate Hailey Rogan, that chance eventually took her all the way to Ecuador.

Rogan, ‘26, graduated from 91´«Ã½ with a degree in Environmental and Ecological Biology. She came to Eastern as a soccer player. Birds weren’t part of the plan.

Then she took an ornithology class from 91´«Ã½ Professor Laura Mahrt.

“I recently got into birds because of Laura’s ornithology class,â€� Rogan said, joking that she has since developed “early-onset bird-watching disease.â€�

That interest grew into research, fieldwork, and eventually an opportunity to join Marht on a two-week bird-banding expedition at Reserva Las Tangaras, a private reserve near Mindo, Ecuador.

Before leaving, Rogan regularly traveled from Boise to La Grande to work with Marht at 91´«Ã½’s bird-banding station. She would finish work, make the drive to La Grande, band birds, and return to Boise. The hours paid off.

When Rogan arrived in Ecuador, many of the expedition’s participants had little or no bird-banding experience and needed training. Rogan did not.

She began banding birds on the first day.

“It made it well worth it to drive up to La Grande,� Rogan said, “and not be a beginner when I got to Ecuador.�

For Mahrt, that is precisely why experiences outside the classroom matter.

“Bird banding jobs, you have to have the experience before,� Mahrt said. “And, of course, getting the experience is the hard part.�

Working together week after week also provided something difficult to duplicate in a classroom: individual mentorship.

“Getting first-hand experience with her was very unique,� Rogan said. “I definitely got the personal experience with her.�

When Rogan struggled with a technique, she said, Mahrt was there to help her work through it.

“She was definitely the perfect candidate for me to learn from,� Rogan said.

That experience matters now because Rogan is facing the same transition generations of 91´«Ã½ graduates have faced before her: turning a college education into a career.

She hopes to eventually attend graduate school and had considered a master’s program in raptor biology. Ecuador, combined with three months she previously spent in Costa Rica, has broadened those possibilities.

“Birds have become my main focus,� she said.

For now, however, Rogan wants to get her foot in the door professionally. She hopes to land several seasonal field positions, continue building experience, and then decide what direction graduate school should take her.

She will enter that search with something she didn’t have before: hands-on experience working with birds in Eastern Oregon and the tropics.

The opportunity also illustrates a relationship that didn’t end when Rogan finished her degree. The professor who introduced her to ornithology became the mentor who trained alongside her and eventually traveled with her to Ecuador.

“I owe a lot to 91´«Ã½ and Mahrt specifically,â€� she said.

For alumni, the details may be different, but the story is familiar. A professor sees potential. A student discovers an interest. Someone opens a door.

For Rogan, that meant driving from Boise to La Grande week after week, learning to handle birds and eventually carrying those skills thousands of miles to Ecuador.

And somewhere along the way, what began as a college class started looking like a career.

Rogan calls Ecuador “a trip of a lifetime.�

She also came home thinking about what might come next.

“If I could open a banding station in the tropics,� she said, “I would.�

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During the meeting, Econsult Solutions, Inc. (ESI) presented a new economic impact report revealing that 91´«Ã½ generates $388 million in annual statewide economic impact. The analysis demonstrates that the university returns $14 for every $1 invested by the state, cementing its role as a critical economic engine for eastern Oregon.

“This institution is really the lifeline for workforce development in the region,� said Board Chair Chuck Hofmann. “We have made the decisions to keep us financially viable.�

The board also held a workshop to discuss Oregon House Bill 4124, which requires a review of higher education structures in Oregon. Board members and university leadership emphasized 91´«Ã½â€™s solid financial position and unwavering commitment to its distinct rural mission, actively distinguishing itself from other universities facing recent fiscal challenges.

“I think the main point I want to get across today is that 91´«Ã½ is stable,â€� 91´«Ã½ President Kelly Ryan told the board. “There are a lot of narratives about decline and lack of returns on investment at the national level, and I want you to know that 91´«Ã½ is now stable and our students are thriving.â€�

The board received a comprehensive update on 91´«Ã½â€™s integration of artificial intelligence. The university has transitioned to Google Gemini for faculty and staff, strategically balancing technological innovation with academic integrity to better prepare students for the modern workforce.

The meeting concluded with a visit from Oregon Congressman Cliff Bentz, who joined the board to discuss rural community needs, workforce development, and the impact of emerging industries on eastern Oregon’s economic future.

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That idea is at the center of a new book by 91´«Ã½â€™s Dr. Sheri Rysdam, co-authored with JT Torres, director of the Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning at Washington and Lee University.

Nonviolent Response: Strategies for Responding to Writing, published by the University of Pittsburgh Press, asks teachers, tutors, and others who work with writers to reconsider how they provide feedback.

Rather than focusing first on what a writer got wrong, the book encourages readers to understand what the writer is trying to say and accomplish.

“Writing can be incredibly personal,” Rysdam said. “When someone shares their writing, it can feel like they’re sharing part of themselves. I wanted to explore what happens when we take that seriously and respond in ways that honor vulnerability while still helping writers grow.”

Rysdam is a professor of English/Writing and director of the Writing Center at 91´«Ã½. The ideas behind the book grew in part from her years of working with students, writers, tutors, and educators.

Those experiences led Rysdam and Torres to consider a basic question: What if feedback felt less like judgment and more like an opportunity to become a better writer?

Built around the idea of listening and understanding, the authors developed what they call “nonviolent response,” an approach that emphasizes listening, relationships, and respectful engagement while still helping writers improve their work.

For Rysdam, the work is closely connected to what happens in the classroom and Writing Center in La Grande.

“The questions I explore in my scholarship are always inspired by my experiences working with students,” Rysdam said. “Their insights and experiences shape my work just as much as the work informs my teaching.”

While the book is primarily intended for teachers, tutors, and writing center professionals, Rysdam said the ideas behind it can apply well beyond a classroom.

At its heart, she said, the book is about how we listen and respond to each other.

“We live in a time when people often rush to evaluate or correct one another,” Rysdam said. “This project asks what might happen if we slowed down, listened more carefully, and responded with greater care. Those are skills that matter not only in writing but in our communities and relationships as well.”

Nonviolent Response: Strategies for Responding to Writing is available through the University of Pittsburgh Press and academic booksellers.

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The two-year award, $613,436 in the first year and $683,204 in the second, was one of only a small percentage of projects selected for funding. Only about 17% of proposals received awards, underscoring both the competitiveness of the program and the strength of 91´«Ã½â€™s vision.

“This investment recognizes what 91´«Ã½ has long understood: that the future of rural healthcare begins in our rural schools and communities,â€� 91´«Ã½ President Kelly A. Ryan said. “We aren’t waiting for solutions to come from somewhere else. We’re building them here by inspiring local students to become the professionals who will care for the communities they call home.â€�

The funding comes through the a federal initiative administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to strengthen rural healthcare systems nationwide. States were asked to identify projects that could quickly improve rural health outcomes through ready-to-launch initiatives.

For 91´«Ã½, that means creating a comprehensive healthcare career pipeline reaching students long before they begin college.

Over the next two years, 91´«Ã½ will hire three rural health pathway specialists who will work directly with schools and healthcare partners throughout the Crook County region, the Ontario area and Northeast Oregon. These specialists will introduce students to healthcare careers, expand dual-credit opportunities, strengthen partnerships with regional providers and help students navigate pathways into healthcare professions, such as 91´«Ã½â€™s longtime 2+2 nursing program with Oregon Health Sciences University campus in La Grande.

Students participating in the summer institutes will come to 91´«Ã½â€™s campus, interact with practicing healthcare professionals, receive hands-on training with real medical equipment, including vital signs kits, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, pulse oximeters and digital thermometers, and continue exploring healthcare careers after returning home.

Kathleen Brown, who led development of the proposal, said the program is designed to plant the seeds for a stronger rural healthcare workforce years before students choose a career.

“The goal is to create a pathway that begins as early as middle school and continues through high school, college and into healthcare careers,� Brown said. “By introducing students to healthcare opportunities where they live, we’re creating the next generation of medical professionals who understand rural communities because they come from rural communities.�

The initiative also builds on current partnerships with school districts, healthcare providers and community organizations throughout the region. Rather than starting from scratch, the grant expands proven collaborations while creating new opportunities for students across Eastern Oregon.

As Oregon faces growing shortages of healthcare professionals in rural communities, 91´«Ã½â€™s approach addresses the challenge at its source, encouraging local students to pursue healthcare careers and equipping them with the education and experiences needed to return home and serve the places that need them most.

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See the Spring  2026 Dean’s List

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LA GRANDE, Ore. – 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) and Blue Mountain Community College (BMCC) are strengthening their historic connection to support the educational and professional goals of students in the region.

The Eastern Alliance partnership bridges the gap between associate and bachelor’s degree programs for students in rural Oregon. By aligning degree requirements and providing dedicated transition advising, 91´«Ã½ and BMCC are reducing administrative barriers, directly supporting regional degree completion and expanding affordable access to higher education degrees across eastern Oregon.

“The Eastern Alliance is all about removing the obstacles that often stand in the way of a student’s success,â€� said Mark Browning, Ph.D., President of Blue Mountain Community College. “We are excited to continue developing strategic partnerships with 91´«Ã½ to open more doors for our students and strengthen the future of the communities we serve.â€�

The two institutions finalized a memorandum of understanding in July to create the partnership and set clear academic pathways for students. The agreement establishes transition roadmaps for students earning associate degrees at BMCC to transfer directly into bachelor’s degree programs at 91´«Ã½â€”both on campus and online. Students will receive advising and pathway check sheets that identify coursework satisfying degree requirements, ensuring credits earned at the community college level integrate into their bachelor’s degree program.

“This collaboration is a game-changer for our region,â€� said Kelly A. Ryan, Ph.D., President of 91´«Ã½. “By aligning the academic strengths of our schools and expanding on our long-term and successful relationship, we are building a clear, accessible roadmap for students to achieve their educational goals and support our regional economy.”

The initiative also includes professional development for employees, offering tuition discounts for up to four eligible Blue Mountain Community College staff members each term to pursue degrees at 91´«Ã½.

For more information on transfer pathways or to begin an application, visit the Eastern Alliance website at eou.edu/eastern-alliance.

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91´«Ã½ is among just 275 colleges and universities nationwide recognized on Phi Theta Kappa’s 2026 Transfer Honor Roll. The honor highlights institutions that go above and beyond to support community college students as they transfer, complete their bachelor’s degrees, and achieve their educational goals.

The Transfer Honor Roll recognizes institutions that have created strong pathways for community college students by evaluating performance across several key areas, including transfer student success, credit transfer and degree applicability, financial support, admissions and recruitment practices, and campus engagement.

“At 91´«Ã½, creating opportunities for transfer students has long been central to our mission,” said 91´«Ã½ President Kelly A. Ryan. “Many of our students begin their educational journey at community colleges throughout Oregon and beyond. We are committed to ensuring they have a seamless transition, receive meaningful support, and graduate prepared for successful careers and lives. This national recognition reflects the dedication of our faculty and staff who work every day to make that possible.”

As Oregon’s rural university, 91´«Ã½ has developed strong partnerships with community colleges across the state, offering flexible transfer pathways, personalized advising, and academic programs designed to help students complete their degrees wherever they live. Through on-campus and online learning opportunities, transfer students can continue their education while staying connected to their communities.

For students considering transferring to a four-year university, the recognition signals that 91´«Ã½ is a place where transfer students can thrive. Phi Theta Kappa’s Transfer Honor Roll highlights institutions that make it easier for students to move from community college to a bachelor’s degree by offering strong academic support, transfer-friendly policies, financial aid opportunities, and an engaging campus experience.

91´«Ã½ has long partnered with community colleges across Oregon and the region to help students continue their education with confidence. From personalized advising and flexible degree options to opportunities for both on-campus and online learning, the university is committed to helping transfer students make a smooth transition and graduate prepared for successful careers.

Being named to the 2026 Transfer Honor Roll reflects 91´«Ã½’s continued investment in removing barriers for transfer students and creating pathways that help them succeed from their first day on campus through graduation.

For more information about transferring to 91´«Ã½, visit eou.edu/transfer.

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LA GRANDE, Ore. – The 91´«Ã½ Board of Trustees concluded its spring meeting May 21 after two days of public sessions focused on fiscal planning, student access, board governance, enrollment, and strategic priorities.

In unanimous votes, trustees approved the rates package for the 2026-27 tuition, mandatory fees, and room and board; the establishment of an advisory Board Executive Council; the preliminary Education and General budget; the use of the Oregon State Treasury for investment services; and the 91´«Ã½ Ballfield Complex project.

The approved tuition rate package includes a 2.7% increase, a 4.75% increase in room rates, a 4% increase in board rates and meal plans, and a $59-per-term decrease in the Student Health Fee, and a $3-per-term increase in the Student Incidental Fee. Trustees discussed the shared-governance process behind the recommendation, including student participation on the Tuition Advisory Committee, as well as 91´«Ã½â€™s guiding principle of maintaining access and value amid rising costs and constrained state funding.

“91´«Ã½â€™s value is to try and make higher education as affordable as possible,â€� President Kelly Ryan said during the tuition discussion. “The number one reason why students don’t go to college is financial. The number one reason why students leave is financial.â€�

The preliminary budget keeps the university near balance while maintaining the Board’s fund balance goals. Trustees also approved the Ballfield Complex project, advancing a refined $6.6 million Phase 1 scope that includes South Campus infrastructure, a basic competition baseball facility, and initial softball improvements. The project is funded through capital improvement and renewal dollars, sports lottery funding and donor support, and does not include Education and General or tuition dollars.

Beyond the action items, trustees reviewed annual key performance indicators tied to Ascent 2029, the university’s strategic plan; received a trustee enrollment support toolkit; heard state and federal advocacy updates; and received shared governance reports. The 91´«Ã½ Foundation also briefed trustees on the leadership phase of the 91´«Ã½ Centennial Campaign, with a seven-year, $17 million working goal focused on academic innovation, student scholarships, a vibrant university experience, and Mountaineer athletic facilities.

President Ryan noted to the Board that despite some challenging trends across the state, there are still great things to celebrate about 91´«Ã½, including graduating seniors and their successes, top rankings with Mountaineer athletics, and state and national recognition of 91´«Ã½ programs. “Despite the trends in Oregon, there are still things to celebrate at 91´«Ã½,â€� President Ryan said.

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LA GRANDE, Ore. – Five 91´«Ã½ students will step onto the podium later this month as the 91´«Ã½ Chamber Choir presents its spring concert, “We Are One,â€� at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 28 in McKenzie Theatre.

Admission is free, and donations will be accepted at the door.

The concert follows the choir’s February performance, “True Colors,â€� and highlights the work of student conductors Jillian Newman, Jakob Graffunder, McKenzie Jonas, Hannah Brown, and Laylah Lucas. Each student is enrolled in 91´«Ã½â€™s Choral Methods course and has spent the past eight weeks rehearsing and preparing the ensemble for performance.

For many of the students, the experience has provided a first opportunity to lead an ensemble in a live rehearsal setting.

“The first time we stood in front of the choir was terrifying,� Lucas said. “But it’s been really fun seeing all of us get more comfortable and realize that we’re helping create the music, not just directing it.�

Many of the student conductors are preparing for careers in education, and the course gives them practical experience leading rehearsals, communicating musical ideas, and working with singers in real time.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to jump right in,� Jonas said. “It’s helped me become more comfortable leading students and developing teaching strategies.�

Graffunder said the experience has strengthened both his teaching skills and musicianship.

“This class gave me a foundation for teaching and managing an ensemble,� Graffunder said. “It’s helped me become a more well-rounded musician and better prepared for what comes next.�

Brown said the course also emphasized the importance of connection and collaboration within an ensemble.

“I’ve learned a lot about myself, new ways to teach, and how important it is to build connections with students,� Brown said.

Newman, who plans to become a music teacher, said conducting introduced a new kind of leadership experience.

“I’ve had to learn different teaching approaches and how to connect with the ensemble,� Newman said.

The concert repertoire explores themes of unity, connection, and shared human experience through music from a variety of traditions and cultures. Selections include “Sisi Ni Moja� by Jacob Narverud, “An Earth Song� by Marques Garrett, “Wade in the Water,� arranged by Kevin Phillip Johnson, and “Indlu yeGagu,� arranged by Sizwe Mondlane.

Professor of Music Peter Wordelman said the course allows students to develop conducting skills through direct experience with an ensemble.

“You can study technique, but conducting only improves when you’re working with real people,� Wordelman said. “Learning how to lead an ensemble happens in the moment.�

The concert program includes:

Full Choir

• “Sisi Ni Mojaâ€� by Jacob Narverud — conducted by Jillian Newman
• “Hela Rotanâ€� (Indonesian Folksong), arranged by Ken Stevens — conducted by Jakob Graffunder
• “An Earth Songâ€� by Marques Garrett — conducted by McKenzie Jonas

Soprano/Alto Choir

• “Swifter Than Flameâ€� by Elaine Hagenberg — conducted by Hannah Brown
• “Wade in the Water,â€� arranged by Kevin Phillip Johnson — conducted by Jakob Graffunder

Tenor/Bass Choir

• “Connectedâ€� by Brian Tate — conducted by Laylah Lucas
• “The Riverâ€� by Susan La Barr — conducted by Jillian Newman

Full Choir

• “Kama Mutaâ€� by Aaron Gage — conducted by Hannah Brown
• “Indlu yeGaguâ€� (South Africa), arranged by Sizwe Mondlane — conducted by McKenzie Jonas
• “Lovely Chanceâ€� by Jacob Narverud — conducted by Laylah Lucas

For more information about 91´«Ã½â€™s music program and upcoming performances, visit eou.edu.

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