Norse returnsNationtocampus
Edition 70 Issue 01 Wednesday, September 14, thenortherner.com2022
THE NORTHERNER
Photo by Emory Davis
WANT MORE?
Wednesday, September 14, 202202 Happenings daymi@nku.eduMicheleADVISORwagnerb7@nku.eduBlakegibsons13@nku.eduSeanWEBcordovaely1@nku.eduYsabelDESIGNdavise19@nku.eduEmoryPHOTObohanm3@nku.eduMarisaVIDEOlehmannb2@nku.eduBlakeSPORTSturnera30@nku.eduAndreaASST.baarlaerk1@nku.eduKillianARTSsiske1@nku.eduEmilyNEWSnguyend8@nku.eduMildredMANAGINGwhiteb15@nku.eduBradenEDITOR-IN-CHIEFWhiteEDITORNguyenEDITORSisk&LIFEEDITORBaarlaerARTS&LIFEEDITORTurnerEDITORLehmannEDITORBohanEDITORDavisEDITORCordova–EliasTEAMGibsonWagnerDay THE NORTHERNER STAFF
For our first magazine edition of this semester, we wanted to showcase things you should know about as we head into this school year.Sports Editor Blake Lehmann wrote a profile piece talking to new Ath letic Director Christina Roybal. In Lehman’s story, Roybal reflected on her past, discussed how she got to NKU and what she hopes to do for the future of NKU athletics.
“The Care Closet is a university resource that provides free clothing to all students, no matter their financial status. NKU’s clothing resource is part of the Care Closet parent or ganization in Newport, Ky. This branch helped supply the university’s start-up of the program in 2021, according to the Institute for Health Innovation Di rector Carolyn Noe,” Sisk wrote.Iwrote a preview of the new SOTA Mainstage sea son, highlighting the shows you can expect to see on stage, along with what I am most looking forward to seeing in the shows.
“The field of scientific research has been met
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
With the start of the fall semester beginning just a few weeks ago, we are so excited to be back on cam pus sharing the latest news with you for this school year. New for this school year, The Northerner will be transitioning into a monthly magazine, featur ing stories from our News, Sports and Arts & Life sec tions. We believe that this will allow The Northerner to produce more long-form content, as well as show case graphic design and photography on a larger scale to help tell the stories of NKU and the surround ing community.
You can also find The Northerner on social media @northernermedia on Instagram, Twitter andFacebook to find the latest updates and stories.
We are so excited for this new school year, and we can’t wait to tell you the stories of NKU and the surrounding communities this school year!
Editor-in-ChiefWhite,
In addition to our print magazine, you can also subscribe to our weekly Norseletter, where we send the latest news every week straight to your email inbox. Stories included in the newsletter will come straight from our award-winning thenortherner.com,website,where you can find all of our latest content in the News, Sports and Arts & Life sections.
Arts & Life Editor Killian Baarlaer wrote about the questions and issues raised in findings from scientific research and got insight from NKU scientists on what this could mean for the future of scientific research.
Braden White Editor-in-Chief, The Northerner
Visit TheNortherner.com or follow us on social media @northernermedia
And while The North erner has had some new changes for this school year, we want you to know that our commitment to the ethical standards of traditional journalism hasn’t changed.
“With NKU being a smaller school in a big market in college athlet ics, the school’s AD has the unique challenge of providing incentives and programs to attract athletes who will be competitive on the field while providing experiences off the field that will help them gain real-world experience,” Lehmann wrote.
“With a new semester also comes a new SOTA mainstage season. This fall semester will feature over three shows, including two plays and one musical. Here are the shows you can expect to see on stage this fall, along with my predictions and what I am most looking forward to seeing,” I wrote.
Norse —Bradenup!
www.thenortherner.com
Managing Editor Mil dred Nguyen wrote about the new College of Infor matics schools, which in clude the School of Media and Communication and the School of Computing and comes“TheAnalytics.newsemesterwithaturning point for the College of Infor matics, which will begin to comprise two new schools. All existing degree pro grams are now grouped within the School of Com puting and Analytics or the School of Media and Communication,” Nguyen wrote.News Editor Emily Sisk wrote about NKU’s Care Closet, which offers free clothing for all students. Clothing in the Care Clos et ranges from professional wear, casual wear to even athletic clothing.
with skepticism with the surfacing of two new developments that call into question common ly accepted theories: an umbrella review suggesting low serotonin levels are not necessarily linked to de pression and the exposure of research misconduct in an influential Alzheimer’s study,” Baarlaer wrote.
Advertising: (859) 572-6677
What does this issue have in store?
More than free fashion: Care Closet seeks to enhance lives of all students
What will be in store for SOTA’s Mainstage Theatre and Dance season this fall?
ABOUT THE NORTHERNER
New scientific findings raise questions about research development: What do NKU scientists have to say?
The Northerner Girffin Hall Rm. 125 Highland Heights, KY 41099
Happenings 03Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Entire content is copyright of The Northerner and may not be reprint ed without prior consent. Views expressed do not represent those of the administration, faculty or student body. The Notherner is considered a designated public forum. Student ediors have authority to make all content decisions without censorhip or advance approval. The Notherner staff respectsd the right to a free and open dialogue as allowed under the First Amenment.
5 PAGE 6–7 PAGE 8–9 PAGE
CONTACT US
Editor-in-Chief: (859) 572-5732
New AD Christina Roybal reflects on path to NKU, what’s next for athletics
Ken Bothof was a huge boost for the athletic de partment and is a name that will live forever in Norse history, but it seems that Roybal has the vision to etch her name as a huge contributor to the growth of NKU athletics as well.
Article by Blake Lehmann Provided photo
will be not only impactful in athletics but also make an impact in the community.”
Changes have been abounding at NKU’s athlet ic department over the past year, but there’s arguably been no bigger announce ment than the arrival of Christina Roybal as the university’s new athletic director.
With that goal in mind, Roybal said that the athletic department is always looking for ways to grow, stating that more roster spots on teams, adding a women’s sports program and creating new facilities are among the goals for the future of Norse athletics.
“We can only grow with the support of the campus, community and donors, so it is important that we also be looking for opportunities to be visible and engaged,” Roybal said.
“[Whileoperations.atFresno State] I became a generalist, and as such, I have a great appreciation for the workstaff and units within an athletics department,” Roybal said. “Some of the experiences that I believe made me uniquely qualified for this position include working on a strategic plan, developing a gender equity plan, assessing the needs of
Roybal, who officially took over the position on June 1, will be filling some big shoes left behind by previous athletic director Ken Bothof, who retired on Jan. 5 after serving for nine years and helping NKU take the leap to Division I athletics.
being a small er school in a big market in college athletics, the school’s AD has the unique challenge of providing incentives and programs to attract athletes who will be competitive on the field while providing experiences off the field that will help them gain real-world expe rience.“NKU is primed for suc cess and growth within the region and nationally, and I am excited about leading Norse Athletics as a very visible and vital department contributing to the Univer sity’s overall mission,” she commented.Theopportunity at NKU also resonated with Roybal because it aligns with her values. With NKU being a university that fosters col lege and civic opportunities across the region – much like Fresno State and UNI – it gave her the edge over other candidates for the job.
sports programs, developing partnerships with divisions and units across campus, engaging with the commu nity, and building strong relationships with the league and colleagues across the league.”WithNKU
But Roybal has experi ence that will help her in this regard, as she previ ously held a position at the University of Northern Iowa as the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Sports Administration and the Deputy Title IX Coordina tor. Before that, she climbed the ladder at Fresno State University, eventually reach ing the title of assistant athletic director for admin istrative
think about what truly matters for our de partment, it is about giving our student-athletes the very best Division I college experience we can provide,” Roybal said. “It is about be ing a leader in the Horizon League and improving our standings in all sports in or der to elevate our presence and make us known. It is about telling our communi
Wednesday, September 14, 202204 Sports
“I know the value athletics brings to the institution and the region,” Roybal said. “At regional comprehen sives, we attract a special type of student-athlete that
ty who we are and why they do not want to miss out on what we have to offer.”
Roybal is currently veryconfident with the state of athletics at NKU. De spite the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic brought to college athletics, she said that she doesn’t just look to get the athletic department back to where it was pre-pandemic, but to “kick it up a notch” and ex ceed the expectations placed upon a Horizon League school.“Aswe
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
The show has had three runs including in 1997 Off-Broadway, 2014 On-Broadway starring Sutton Foster and 2019 in the West-End. The 16-person cast show features an interesting array of music, including Gospel, Bluegrass and Memphis Blues.
I am interested to see NKU’s take on this piece and how the show set in
This show explores a once young and miserable or phan and how he became Peter Pan. “Peter and the Starcatcher” first premiered
1964 can relate to audience members in the present day. I am also interested in getting to hear the styles of music live in a theater and seeing how the score will drive the show’s story.
Violet: The Musical
I am looking forward to learning more about this classic story and its themes of good versus evil, nature and the supernatural, and scientific development. There also has been many adaptions of this story, so I am interested to see how this will compare to the other versions.
“Dr Jekyll & Mr. Hide”runs from Oct. 27-Nov. 6 in the Stauss Theatre. Show times include Oct. 27-29 at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 30 at 2 p.m., Nov. 2-5 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 6 at 2 p.m.
The play maintains some what of the original plot of Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella titled by the same name, “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hide,” which focuses on the main character Dr. Jekyll, a physician from London who has trouble controlling the demon he created in his lab, Edward Hyde.
Peter and the Starcatcher
Off-Broadway in 2011 and then later on Broadway in 2012 where it ran from April 2012 to January 2013, then later made another run Off-Broadway from 2013 to 2014.The play also has a unique spin by being a traditional play that fea tures music, with over eightdifferent tracks in the show. The show is traditionally cast with an ensemble of 12 to 20 actors who all play multiple parts in the show.
I’m looking forward to seeing how NKU is going to put its spin on the show and the technical elements it will include in the over 300-seat Corbett Theater.
With a new semester also comes a new SOTA mainstage season. This fall semester will feature over three shows, including two plays and one musical. Here are the shows you can ex pect to see on stage this fall, along with my predictions and what I am most looking forward to seeing.
Viewpoints: What will be in store for SOTA’s Mainstage Theatre and Dance season this fall?
The third show and second play of the season is Rick Ellice’s “Peter and the Starcatcher,” which is com ing to the Corbett Theatere stage this December.
Photo by Emory Davis
Article by Braden White
The show set in 1964 dis cusses some sensitive topics, such as racism and ableism. Throughout the show, you get to learn about not only Violet’s visible scars, but also those not visible to the eye. The show also touches on feelings of loneliness, rejection and unworthiness.
“Violet” runs Sept. 23 through Oct. 2 in the Cor bett Theatre. Show times include Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 24 at 2 p.m and 7:30 p.m, Sept. 25 at 2 p.m., Sept. 28-Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 2 at 2 p.m.
I am excited to see this show, especially since the show runs during Halloween, which I think is fitting considering the type of play this is. I am also excited to see this show in the Stauss Theatre, a black box-style venue in SOTA.
The second show of the season and first play of the SOTA mainstage season is none other than Jeffrey Hatcher’s adapted “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hide,” running in the Stauss Theatre from Oct. 27 to Nov. 6.
The season will begin lat er this month with the 1997 musical “Violet” in the Cor bett Theatre. This musical is about a North Carolina woman named Violet who has hopes of finding a TV evangelist to help her pray away the deep scar on her face.
Viewpoints 05Wednesday, September 14, 2022
“Peter and the Starcatch er” runs from Dec. 2 to Dec. 11 in the Corbett The atre. Show times include Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Dec. 4 at 2 p.m., Dec. 7-10 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 11 at 2 p.m.
Both of these recent cases represent the ten dency for scientific re search to rely on previous findings to advance the area of study.
Article by Killian Baarlaer Visuals by Ysabel Cordova-Elias
The field of scientific research has been met with skepticism with the surfacing of two new developments that call into question common ly accepted theories: an umbrella review suggest ing low serotonin levels are not necessarily linked to depression and the exposure of research misconduct in an influential Alzheimer’s study.
Wednesday, September 14, 202206 Arts & Life
To prevent such in cidents where previous research leads researchers to ask the wrong ques tions and steer down unproductive avenues, policies and procedures are in place to help ensure sound and ethical research is conducted.
NKU psychology pro fessor and Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Neuroscience Dr. Mark Bardgett explained that researchers who receive federal grants and the staff they hire to aid in research are required to complete a thorough training program that teaches proper research conduct and ethics.
An article published by Science titled “Blot’s on a Field?” brings to attention an incident of research fraud, in which the scientist manipulated images to elicit a certain result: a result that would become the foremost explored cause for Alz heimer’s. The 2006 study suggested beta-amyloid–a protein that clumps in the brain–causes cognitive impairment, rendering the theory a basis for fur ther research. The study has been cited over 2,200 times to date.
The pattern of scientif ic research development and funding is designed to arrive at new answers to improve the lives of hu mans, but the system can, in some instances, en courage pursuits that are based on faulty grounds.
questionsraisefindingsscientificNew Whatdevelopment:researchabout say?tohavescientistsNKUdo
Another key criterion in the funding application review process that ensures new research is founded on accurate ground, according to Bardgett, is evaluating the credibility and rigor of that prior research. Research that builds on studies that have been replicated by other sci
to make noticeable strides in research fields, accord ing to Dr. Hardcastle.
“When you apply to the federal government for funding, about 10 per cent of applications are funded,” Hardcastle said. “Generally, the people who win that prize are people that are buildingoff of what’s come be fore, but they are trying to take it in a completely new direction. Taking everything we know, if we tweak it, we could learn something really new.”
The umbrella review titled “The serotonin theory of depression: a systemic umbrella re view of the evidence” published in Molecular Psychiatry in 2022 exam ines research done on the link between serotonin levels and depression, suggesting the common belief that depression is caused by lower serotonin
Dr. Valerie Hardcastle, executive director of the Institute for Health Inno vation and vice president for Health Innovation at NKU, explained that when research yields a hopeful result that seems to inch closer to ascer taining the root of an issue or finding a solution, scientists tend to home in on that angle. These find ings shape the research agenda posited by various federal institutions, such as the National Science Foundation and Nation al Institutes of Health, whose funding is highly competitive and necessary
levels and activity may be false. This finding is impactful, as over 37 million people in the US are prescribed antidepres sants, of which selective serotonin reuptake inhib itors (SSRIs) are the most common, according to Winston-Salem Journal. SSRIs are said to work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain, but can also induce a spate of negative side effects, according to a Science Daily article featuring insights from the researchers that wrote the initial paper.
“Whenscience.you look at the way science progresses, I think what you see is this little chewing away at these problems,” Hard castle
“It’s really difficult to prove a negative. It’s easy to prove a positive,” Bardgett said. “We have to be able to publish things that say this didn’t work.”
and fluidity is the nature of
However, scholarly scientific journals don’t commonly publish papersthat find what are called negative results–results that contradict a com monly believed theory–according to Bardgett.
Whensaid.revelations like these pop up, it can shift how issues are explored, sending research devel opment and funding allocation into a state of disarray.“Wethought this was it, and all at once, we’re realizing, maybe that’s not the case,” Hardcas tle said. “And so, when that happens, you getthis whole flood of new perspectives and new ways of doing things. Really what’s happening is people are kind of just throwing money at every thing to see who’s going to come up with the next thing we can really focus our attention and drill down on.”
entists and that contain representative, compre hensive data–a standard measured by a process called a power analysis–is more likely to earn fund ing, Bardgett explained.
well-informed health decisions, according to Brumback.Withcaution in eval uating the legitimacy of previous research and programs that encourage replicating studies on the rise in scientific research, misconduct can still slip though the cracks, like in the uncovering of image fabrication that marred the original Alzheimer’s study positing the be ta-amyloid theory.
– Dr. Mark Bardgett, NKU Psychology pro fessor and Director of the MinorInterdisciplinaryinNeuroscience
TOTODIFFICULTREALLY“IT’SPROVEANEGATIVE.IT’SEASYPROVEAPOSITIVE”
complex issues that can’t be narrowly understood.
“The serotonin study and the Alzheimer’s study, they paint the problem with a broad brush stroke,” Bardgett said. “It’s not black and white. It would be really import ant for science to look outside and say, ‘What are some other things leading to depression or Alzhei mer’s skepticism,tatedevelopmentstoinformationissues,theScienceCOVID-19developedstrainsmaskingregardingbiguitiestheseHardcastledisease?’”comparedtrendstotheamofthesciencevaccinations,andvariantthathavebeenthroughthepandemic.graduallypeelslayersofimportantwithpromisingdisseminatingthepublic.Changingcanirrithepublicandrousebuttrial,error
to advance the field of psychology by replicating published studies and pro viding valuable research experience for undergrad students.
Both Bardgett and Dr. Ty Brumback, assistant professor and clinical psychologist, mentioned a burgeoning measure in psychological research publications that works to normalize publishing neg ative results called study preregistration, a process where scientists com prehensively delineate their intended research process before carrying it out. In return, approved studies will receive the journal’s word to publish the findings no matter the outcome, Bardgett and Brumback explained.
Dr. Jordan Wagge, NKU alumni and pro fessor of psychology and cognitive science at Avila University, received a $267,741 National Sci ence Foundation grant to fund the shecationReplicationsCollaborativeandEduProject,aprojectdirectsthataims
nature perpetuates whatBrumback called the file drawer phenomenon: the tendency for studies that do not arrive at new dis coveries to not be shared.
Scientific research is a self-policed field, and although experts in the field evaluate and approve federal grants and peer review papers before pub lication, how individuals within a lab act is relative ly under wrap, according to“WhatBrumback.Ihope the public realizes is that it’s a single person doing that,” Bardgett said. “In science, you’re going to have good people doing it; you’re going to have people that are maybe a little shady doing it.”
The scientific research field’s monetarily depen dent and discovery-driven
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
But according to Hardcastle, discussion in the field of biomedical research has been open to the idea of tackling Alzheimer’s research with different approaches even before this scandal came to light; these studies slide under public radar because they are scarcely published. This is because if nothing enlightening is discovered, it’s usually not published.“Myperspective on this is it’s actually out there, but it just hasn’t worked its way down to the aver age person,” Hardcastle said.Although both of the studies mentioned here raise questions about commonly believed theories, these are highly
Arts & Life 07
These initiatives that aim to ensure sound scientific research indicate a push towards open science, which is “the idea that we should share everything. So share our data. Share our methods, share our analyses, and put it all out in the open,” according to Brumback.
The open science research model allows scientists to access other researchers’ datasets and develop well-informed research inquiries; it also helps scientists and healthcare workers confer the current state of prog ress in various lines of research more accurately to the public, encourag ing individuals to make
organization understands the cost of buying a new wardrobe to match one’s identity can be overwhelm ing for college students.
launch of the Care Closet, Noe explored similar resources at other universities. She found that many organizations had a like-minded mission, but their resource supply fell short. Students at these universities would be restricted to one or two items only, which she felt was not enough, especially for fulltime internships or jobs.
Students with children or families to care for can also receive clothing for these individuals. Any need that is not met with the Care Closet’s current supply can be fulfilled by the Newport branch, which specializes in assisting children and impoverished families.
The idea for the Care Closet blossomed within the Institute for Health Innova tion after the introduction of FUEL NKU, a free food pantry for NKU students. Noe was struck by the mission behind FUEL, which suggested that if food inse curity was an issue, finding affordable clothing was also a likely issue.
Noe recognizes that college is a costly venture for all students, who endure a never-ending cycle of tuition, housing and food prices that are not going down any time soon. High quality fashion items come at a high price, and students deserve to feel like their best self inside the classroom and when entering thecareer field.
“If you come in here, the only person that’s going to know that you came in here is me, and I can’t remember their faces,” Waits said.
Article by Emily Sisk Photos by Emory Davis
Wednesday, September 14, 202208 News
Anderson recalled her own feelings of concern about affording basic needs, much less new clothing.
Matthew Waits, the Care Closet’s Assistant Coordina tor, pointed out the privacy and judgment free nature of the space. He encour aged all students to check out the resource without a second thought. He feels that men on campus are an unreached demographic for the Care Closet, which could stem from their stig ma against accepting help.
“If students aren’t having their basic food needs met, to me that means they’re probably not able to buy clothes either, or at least not able to buy a lot of clothes that might come with some thing like an internship,” Noe
More than free fashion: Care Closet seeks to enhance lives of all students
Countless racks of trendyand timeless fashion fill the corner of University Center 142 with life. The garments patiently hang on the racks, waiting to be hand-picked and worn by students.
Closet is a university resource that provides free clothing to all students, no matter their financial status. NKU’s clothing resource is part of the Care Closet parent or ganization in Newport, Ky. This branch helped supply the university’s start-up of the program in 2021, ac cording to the Institute for Health Innovation Director Carolyn Noe.
Professional suits and sport coats, graphic tees and workout attire are amongst the mix of neatly organized and easily accessible cloth ing
Beforesaid.the
Theitems.Care
NKU student Steve Halpin is a testament to the value of the Care Closet, who has returned to college at fifty years old. Halpin
“When I was in college we did not have the Care Closet here at NKU. There were definitely times that I remember feeling like, ‘Oh my gosh, how am I going to afford groceries? How am I going to afford clothes?’ I think that there’s almost this natural shame, and so I think that places like the Care Closet and FUEL NKU provide sort of a normalization of the need for these things,” Anderson said.The organization works closely with LGBTQ+ ser vices, offering a safe space for students to come in and pick clothes that suit their bodies and preferences. The
The Care Closet has no set limitations on how many items a visitor is allowed to take home, but Coordina tor Peyton Anderson softly recommends leaving with two to three bags, which typically include ten to twenty items of clothing, two to three pairs of shoes and a backpack or brief case. These items can be a mix of professional clothes as well as casual wear, as the space maintains about fifty percent of both categories at all times.
The Care Closet is locat ed in University Center 142 and features mascu line-style clothing on the left side of the space and feminine-style pieces on the right side.
made a point to turn his life around after being released from prison, becoming a Christian, securing a job and finishing his college degree. Returning to the university setting was an overwhelming experience for Halpin at first, but he soon found the resources he needed to succeed.
News 09Wednesday, September 14, 2022
“In the same way that FUEL has a constant stream of food coming from Kroger, we’re the same way. So even though our space looks small and you might be like, ‘Oh no, I’m taking all three of the sweatshirts that are out, chances are we have like 150 other sweat shirts that are just not out. I always try to tell students the minute that you’re done shopping, we will replenish whatever you’ve taken,” AndersonStudentssaid.have options for how they choose to visit the Care Closet. Walk-in hours are available each weekday, and appointments are of fered on Mondays, Wednes days and Thursdays. Stu dents interested in making an appointment simply visit
tell people to not be ashamed to come in here because they will always have their opportunity to give back when they’re on their feet,” Halpin said.
Waits also pointed out that a lack of clothing supply is an unforeseeable issue for the Care Closet. The organization receives an influx of new clothing daily, which can be from the Newport branch or select donations from faculty, staff and some students. One of the challenges, Waits said, is actually having too many clothes and not enough takers.Anderson reassured
Halpin recalled walking into the University Center in pursuit of the Learning Center and just so happen ing to look over at the Care Closet. He has since visited the resource on at least three different occasions, finding new items with each visit. His catering company job requires white dress shirts, black pants, black ties, and shoes, all of which he gathered from the Care Closet.ForHalpin, the friendliness of staff members like Waits has impacted his col
the organization’s website, fill out a brief appointment request form and come in at their scheduled time. The request form asks basic questions, like the student’s size, preferred fashion styles and the purpose of the appointment. With this in formation, the Care Closet staff is able to pull suggested items for the student and, if needed, seek out additional garments from the Newport organization.Waitsspoke of the per sonal fulfillment he gets in serving students, especially in special circumstances when the resource they provide is truly life-chang ing. For anyone considering seeing what the Care Closet is all about, Waits says there’s no better time, and if you’re hesitant to take from the resource, just bring a donation with you.
Garments range from professional attire to casual wear and workout clothing.
All students are encour aged to visit the Care Closet and take home pieces that fit their individ ual needs.
students who may not be struggling financially but could still use the support to just come in.
lege experience. He encour aged students to not cheat themselves out of a valuable resource and left a message for those who are struggling to accept the Care Closet’s gratuity.“Iwould
Rasib Khan is the program head of Computer Science & Software Engineering, Tony Tsetse the head of Cybersecurity & Information Technology, and Crystal Summers the head of Information Systems & Analytics. Within the School of Media and Communication, Zach Hart is in charge of Communication & Public Relations and Sara Drabik leads Media & Journalism.
The new semester comes with a turning point for the College of In formatics, which will begin to com prise two new schools. All existing degree programs are now grouped within the School of Computing and Analytics or the School of Media andTheCommunication.SchoolofComputing and Analytics houses degree programs in Information Systems & Analyt ics (Business Information System, Health Informatics, Library Infor matics), Computer Science & Soft ware Engineering (Applied Software Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science) and Cybersecurity & Information Technology. Master’s degree programs in Business Infor matics, Health Informatics and Cy bersecurity are also grouped within theTheschool.School of Media and Communication consists of Com munication & Public Relations (Communication Studies, Health Communication, Public Relations and a master’s degree program in Communication) along with Media & Journalism (3D Digital Design and Visual Effects, Electronic Media and Broadcasting, Journalism).
Wednesday, September 14, 202210 News
Photo by Emory Davis
According to Yungbluth, such a re structuring shifts the workload away from the department chair, allowing the distribution of work to be more manageable for everyone involved. The school director’s responsibilitiesare not too different from those of a department chair, he said, such as reviewing programs and faculty per formance. But in his new position, he now has more freedom to take on other
Directors and program heads weigh in on new College of schoolsInformatics
a College of Informatics – though it’s unclear to some people what informatics is – and then we have three departments,” Kirby said. “We thought, ‘Well, why don’t we combine two of them around the theme of computing and analytics, bring those folks together, and then elevate communications and me dia?’”
school that focuses on databases and analytics.Twodirectors
According to College of Informatics Dean Kevin Kirby, the reorgani zation aims to elevate COI programs and increase clarity to prospective students. It follows the model of the existing School of the Arts, which used to be three separate depart ments: Theatre & Dance, Music and Fine
“This is primarily a reorganization of the faculty levels,” Truta said. “The impact [on students] is pretty muchIndeed,nonexistent.”theformation of the new schools mostly affects faculty andstaff structures on an administrative level. A program head now supervis es each program – which consists of several degrees – within the schools.
will assume leader ship of the schools. Traian Marius Truta, previously associate chair of the Computer Science department, is the interim director for the School of Computing and Analytics. De partment of Communication Chair Stephen Yungbluth is now the inter im director for the School of Media andTheCommunication.newschoolsare
Kirby hopes that putting different people from different disciplines together will give them new ideas about the curriculum, research projects, student engagement, international affairs and interaction with other colleges. It will also facilitate the breaking of barriers between disciplines, so that a journalism professor with an interest in data journalism, for example, can get an appointment in the part of the
looks forward to explor ing what he always wanted to do as department chair but never found the time for, and to spending more time on strategic initiatives instead
“WeArts.have
Yungbluthtasks.
currently in pilot year and awaiting approval from President Ashish Vaidya and the Board of Regents. Kirby and the new school directors assure that the reorganization will not produce any direct or immediate changes to the curriculum, degree requirements, class schedules or teaching faculty.
Article by Mildred Nguyen
As the new model enters pilot, he looks forward to seeing the new lead ership settle into their positions.
“We do a lot and not quite every one understands that. Our students and our faculty have won so many awards, worked on so many projects, helped out with so many nonprofits in the community. They’ve left such a footprint on the region and I’m excited for that to be more wellknown,” she said. “I’m excited that this new structure can make it easier for us going forward to do even cooler stuff, to leave even more of a footprint.”
– Sara Drabik, Program Head of Media and Journalism
News 11Wednesday, September 14, 2022
I’m just there to help the rest of the faculty in my program, to teach their classes to the best of their ability, to work with their students, to keep everything organized,” she said.
Rasib Khan came to NKU in 2016 as an associate professor spe cializing in cybersecurity. He was involved with multiple initiatives for the Cybersecurity department, chair of the Pre-Proposal Committee, and was offered the position of Comput er Science & Software Engineering program head this July. In addition to looking after all the program ma jors and minors, he performs main tenance and updates on the school’s website.“It’sa
of managing day-to-day activities. Among his priorities is planning class schedules further in advance, so that students have a better grasp of whencertain courses are offered and can plan their schedules accordingly.
For Truta, the challenge is making sure everybody knows who to con tact and how things will be run from this moment forward.
evolving.“Youhear
“By trying this model we hope that we’ll lay the foundation for a true transformation of the college in fu ture years,” Truta said. “We’re trying to optimize how things are working and we’re trying to raise the visibility of the schools outside of NKU.”
The COI is also bringing in inter nal grants and discussing with board members, corporate representatives, employers and stakeholders, all to develop new ideas for leveraging the schools.“Iguess the most important point of the schools is just a foundation,” Kirby added. “They’re not in them selves going to change the world, but they make change a lot easier and a lotEchoingfaster.”
As the new schools are effectively works in progress, the journey ahead will not be without obstacles. Kirby points to competition from other universities and decreasing enroll ment as the main challenges facing the COI in the future. Other chal lenges include keeping the curricu lum up to date and providing stu dents with cutting-edge education, which can prepare them for grad uation in fields that are constantly
the dean talk about how a school is more of a destination, so [the challenge is] making sure that we are in fact a destination, that we can live up to that sense of a name and what it offers,” Yungbluth said. “It sounds more prestigious but if
lot of moving parts at the moment, a lot of roles that are being defined and redefined,” Khan said, adding that the overlapping of fields within the school will enable col laboration among the faculty and increase management efficiency.
For Kirby, the biggest impact of the new schools is adding to how Northern Kentucky University dis tinguishes itself from other univer sities. The COI is joined at the hip with other NKU colleges and works alongside other distinctive features of NKU like SOTA and the Health Innovation Center to elevate the institution, he said.
Sarah Drabik was already the pro gram director for Electronic Media and Broadcasting before she was approached with an offer to be in volved as program head, a role thatshe considers a natural fit. While her responsibilities as program head are still under discussion, she is involved with creating and scheduling classes, registering students, giving tours, attending recruitment events, and connecting students with faculty who can deepen their interest. “I see it as a service role to the de partment, to the college, and mostly
this sentiment, Drabik hopes to put a good front face on the programs for everyone in the com munity, both at NKU and beyond.
“THIS STRUCTURENEWCANMAKEITEASIERFORUSGOINGFORWARD”
there isn’t anything to back that up it might become meaningless.”
“You have young faculty members who have never been leaders be fore, and suddenly they get to shape programs. It’s really nice to see that: you have all this creative energy that we’re unleashing,” Kirby said.
Want the latest stories from The Northerner? New stories, every Monday, delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter at thenortherner.com