The archway in front of Southern Oregon University's Churchill Hall in an undated provided image.
Jane Vaughan / JPR
A former longtime Southern Oregon University administrator is accused of stealing at least $15,000 from the university.
Matthew Stillman faces five counts of first-degree theft and one count of aggravated first-degree theft, all felonies. Charging documents allege the thefts occurred in separate incidents between September 2023 and December 2024.
The records do not explain how the thefts were discovered.
Court documents identify SOU Provost Casey Shillam and David Terry as witnesses. According to LinkedIn, Terry was Portland State University’s director of internal audit during the period covered by the charges. He is now Oregon State University’s chief executive of audit, risk and compliance.
SOU said in a statement that it does not comment on active investigations or legal proceedings. The university said only that Stillman is no longer employed there.
A voicemail left at a number listed for Stillman was not returned.
Stillman held several positions at SOU from 2002 to 2024, according to his LinkedIn profile. They included assistant director of admissions, director of institutional research and university registrar.
He now serves as director of global programs for the National Architectural Accrediting Board, according to the organization’s website.
Stillman’s arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 4.
SOU has struggled financially in recent years, leading to three rounds of budget cuts, including a plan in June to cut $20 million.
SOU was scammed out of nearly $2 million in 2017, which was meant to go towards an athletic facility.
JPR is licensed to Southern Oregon University, but our newsroom operates independently. Guided by our journalistic standards and ethics, we cover the university like any other organization in the region. No university official reviewed or edited this story before it was published.
Jane Vaughan is a reporter with Jefferson Public Radio. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
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