The Northerner | Ed.62 Is. 3 by thenortherner.com

Edition 62, Issue 3 Wednesday, September 5, 2018 www.thenortherner.com

@northernermedia

Page 3 NKU makes Forbes list

Page 4 & 5

Greek Rush next week

Page 6

Dungeons & Dragons finds home at NKU

Page 7

Spammers target your NKU inbox

Page 8

Cross Country Volleyball

GOING GREEK:

RECRUITMENT

BEGINS PHOTO PROVIDED BY OFFICE OF FRATERNITY & SORORITY LIFE

02 Happenings

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

NORTHERNER STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sam Rosenstiel [ramsosenstiel@gmail.com] MANAGING EDITOR Nicole Browning [browningn30@gmail.com] NEWS EDITOR Natalie Hamren [hamrenn1@mymail.nku.edu] ASST. NEWS EDITOR Josh Goad [goadj2@mymail.nku.edu] ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Maria Dossett [dossettm1@mymail.nku.edu]

WHAT TO DO Check out the hottest campus happenings and can’t-miss events in Greater Cincinnati. 6

SEPT

7-9

SEPT

ASST. ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Josh Kelly [kellyjoshual17@gmail.com]

SEPT

SPORTS EDITOR Mike Canizales [canizalesm1@mymail.nku.edu]

PHOTO EDITOR Colin Johnson

SEPT

SALSA ON THE SQUARE | FOUNTAIN SQUARE, CINCINNATI | 7 P.M.

Got a chunk of time open on Thursday nights? Head down to Fountain Square to enjoy hot salsa bands and seasoned instructors to help navigate the maize of the dance. If it’s gets too caliente, you can cool down with a soft drink or adult beverage.

ROCKTOBERFEST | ST. BARBARA CHURCH, ERLANGER | TIMES VARY

One of the largest festivals in NKY features games, rides, food, duck races, a raffle and tailgate for the Bengals vs Colts game Sunday. Live bands every night. $20 wristbands for rides. Sunday is $1 a day for rides, hotdogs and beer on tap. The event begins at 6 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday and 12 p.m. Sunday.

BLACK JEOPARDY | SU BALLROOM B & C | 6 P.M.

National PanHellenic Council will be hosting a friendly competitive game of Jeopardy with categories pertaining to NPHC Greek and African American culture. While you compete, you can meet the members of the NPHC Greek organizations and other organizations.

FALL FEST | SU PLAZA | 10 A.M.

Different campus organizations and opportunities will be spread throughout the SU Plaza for students who are exploring how to get involved on campus.

[johnsonphotography6626@gmail.com]

ASST. PHOTO EDITOR Jasmine Cummins [cumminsj5@mymail.nku.edu] VIDEO EDITOR Clay Crouch [wclaycrouch@gmail.com] DESIGN EDITOR Bridgette Gootee [gooteeb1@mymail.nku.edu] DESIGN EDITOR Ian Lape-Gerwe [lapegerwei@mymail.nku.edu] WEB EDITOR Laine Harrett [harrettn1@mymail.nku.edu] ASST. WEB EDITOR Steven Geiger [geigers3@mymail.nku.edu] SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Emerson Swoger [emeswagg16@gmail.com] SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Kate Fulmer [fulmerk1@mymail.nku.edu] BUSINESS TEAM Tristan Tapia [northerneradvertising@gmail.com] BUSINESS ADVISOR Ashley Hempfling [ahempfling@enquirer.com] ADVISOR Michele Day [daymi@nku.edu] JOIN US 5 p.m. Mondays in Griffin Hall 204

FURTHER DETAILS Entire content is copyright of The Northerner and may not be reprinted without prior consent. Views expressed do not represent those of the administration, faculty or student body. The Northerner is considered a designated public forum. Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The Northerner staff respects the right to a free and open dialogue as allowed under the First Amendment.

CONTACT INFO

The Northerner Griffin Hall Rm. 125 Highland Heights, KY 41099 Editor in Chief: (859) 572-6128 Designers Desk: (859) 572-6677 Advertising: (859) 572-5232 Website: www.thenortherner.com

u n i v e r s i t y

POLICE BEAT

From University Police logs, here’s the week in crime at NKU.

Aug. 25 - Subject advises they were sexually assaulted in their room in Norse Hall, but the case was “exceptionally cleared.” Aug. 27 - Subject advises they were touched inappropriately without consent. Aug. 28 - Report of a stolen/missing wallet in Campbell Hall. Aug. 29 - Subject reported that someone hacked their computer off campus and sent a threatening message. Sept. 2 - Subject advises being in a physical altercation with another subject in Callahan Hall.

NKU HOROSCOPES: Sept. 5 Josh Kelly ASSISTANT ARTS & LIFE EDITOR

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18)

As the leaves start turning, so does your wardrobe. You’ve been waiting since last December to bust out your sweatshirts, sweaters, flannels, boots and beanies.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20)

Your fave TV shows return for their fall premiere, but we’re sure you already knew that. Settle in to binge watch your shows, but beware: midterms are a few weeks away.

Aries (March 21- April 19)

You weren’t happy with how the World Cup played out, so you’re ready to see the Norse take down their opponents. If you’re not the one in the stands, you’re waiting for “FIFA 19.”

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

Your favorite fall holiday? Thanksgiving. You’re counting down the days until you can fill three plates, and you’re planning your post-dinner nap location already.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

The moment the SU Starbucks adds pumpkin spice, you will lose all your FLEX dollars. Then you’ll just go to Einstein’s.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

Getting out of bed was always a hard task to begin with. Now, with the temperature going down, your 9:25 class is a chore. When you finally arise, grab your Halloween fluffy socks.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22)

You’re going to gather as many people together as you can to enjoy fall. Venture into Cincinnati and stroll through Hyde Park; enjoy the energy and company.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22)

Daylight savings day is Nov. 4. Your phone will reset. You will gain an hour. Make sure you understand that because you WILL forget. Please do not forget daylight savings time.

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22)

You’re ready for the best night of the week: Monday. College football is all you’ve been waiting for. The stars send blessings upon your fantasy team.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21)

From date of publication, there are 56 days until Halloween. Fall is Scorpio’s season, but Halloween is their holiday. Continue planning the best costume because it will surely succeed.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21)

Gathering around a campfire warms your heart and body temperature. You are excited for the season, but you know the real party is circled around a toasty fire.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19)

You like spoopy season, but you gravitate toward December holidays. Crunching leaves doesn’t entertain you like chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Roast marshmallows instead.

Ed 62, Issue 3

News 03

Forbes D a dnames a , NKU a top U.S. college for tenth year

Bluford win SGA presidential election

Daniel Jones CONTRIBUTOR

Northern Kentucky University has once again been named a top college in Forbes’ annual ranking of 650 total public and private U.S. colleges. This year, Forbes ranked NKU 640th, beating out 10 other colleges for the spot. Kentucky’s private colleges dominated the list; Forbes ranked Centre College 193rd and Transylvania University 289th. Several state schools made the list, including University of Kentucky (323), Western Kentucky University (624) and Eastern Kentucky University (647). Forbes’ top Ohio colleges included Ohio State University (122), Miami University (159), University of Cincinnati (319) and Ohio University (416). Factors for ranking included students’ return-on-investment, academic success and overall experience. “America’s Top Colleges has always focused on the direct benefits school provide their

graduates. Especially at a time when Americans owe more than $1 trillion in student load debt, we believe it’s important to value ‘outputs’ rather than ‘inputs.’ While other lists consider acceptance rates and admitted students’ SAT scores, we look at alumni salaries, retention and graduation rates, debt load upon graduation and signs of individual success including academic and career accolades,” Forbes reported. NKU President Ashish Vaidya said Forbes’ decision to feature the university in their list of top colleges “truly reflects the core values of NKU, so it is a great honor to have this ranking bestowed on us for 10 straight years.” Vaidya also said that NKU helping to prepare students for life outside of college “is, ultimately, part of NKU’s commitment to serving and responding to the needs of the community.” Forbes additionally highlighted other aspects of NKU, which include the 200+ student

organizations, the 22 Greek societies on campus and the university’s commitments to community service. “The Mayerson Student Philanthropy Project gives more than $30,000 annually to nonprofits that students research and select. The Haile Digital Planetarium at NKU is the world’s first classroom-accessible, laser-projection planetarium,” Forbes reported. Not only has Forbes ranked NKU as a top college for their philanthropy and community involvement, but NKU has also been recognized as the third-safest college campus by the National Council for Home Safety and Security. In May, NKU was ranked as a military-friendly institution by Victory Media. NKU was also recognized for being one of the best LGBTQ-friendly campuses. Data from the Center for College Affordability and Productivity in Washington, D.C. was provided to Forbes to compile the top colleges ranking. GRAPHIC BY SAM ROSENSTIEL

Au No! HIC bakery won’t open until October

Josh Goad

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Au Bon Pain in the Health Innovation Center is now set to open in mid-October. PHOTO BY MARIA DOSSETT

The much-anticipated new bakery Au Bon Pain in the Health Innovation Center will not open until mid-October, school officials say. The cafe was originally slated to open around the start of the fall semester, but has encountered unforeseen construction delays, according to an email sent by Andy Meeks, director of Business Operations and Auxiliary Services. “We’re looking at almost a $200,000 difference,” said Mark Jones, interim director of university architecture, design and construction management. “We’re all trying to save money and be as efficient as we can be. A one month delay for the amount of money it saved the

university makes a lot of sense.” Bidding typically occurs when construction of any sort needs to get done and an organization like NKU needs to hire an outside firm to do the work. The bid is the estimated amount of money needed for labor, material and other jobrelated items. According to Jones, the initial bid was high for the work being done, which put NKU in a position to start bidding over again. Students can still get bagels and other baked goods at Einstein’s or Starbucks across campus. Au Bon Pain, French for “the good bread,” is a division of Panera Bread that serves salads, soups, bagels and other pastries. The Boston-based cafe has locations across the U.S.

Arts & Life 05

04 Arts & Life

D BY

Jess Abner CONTRIBUTOR

Joining Greek Life at NKU is inclusive and accessible to everyone. When joining a sorority, you’re not just exclusive to that one chapter, there’s a whole community supporting you. By doing this, NKU sororities defy stereotypes attached to Greek Life and make a community of sisterhood. Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Kim Vance said in a press release, “Philanthropy is one reason students choose to join Greek organizations,” meaning your involvement not only impacts you, but also others. Before joining a sorority you must go through recruitment on Sept. 7- 9. Here are three tips from the PanHellenic Council to help make the most of the week: Tip 1: Be Open-Minded Vice President of Membership Grayson Yaden said, “girls pigeonhole themselves into one chapter and deny themselves the opportunity to get to know another chapter that might be right for them.” Open-mindedness allows for new recruitments to get to know all the individual chapters better. Each sorority has its own personality and

philanthropy, just like new recruits have their own characteristics and community issues they care about. New recruits who go in with a preference stop themselves from fully experiencing rush. Coming in open-minded also goes hand-in-hand with not having expectations. “New recruitments should come in with no expectations, which allows them to be fully themselves and find the chapter that fits their personality,” Katie Mitchell from Delta Zeta said. Tip 2: ‘Trust the Process’ If you’ve been to any of the previous events for Greek life at NKU, the phrase “trust the process” is commonly used among the sorority community. During recruitment week, you may feel stressed about where you will end up. If you “trust the process” you will eventually find a chapter that fits your personality and strengths. On the other hand, some girls come in thinking they know exactly which chapter they want to be in.

Yaden said those girls usually end up disappointed when they don’t get the bid they wanted. Instead of going in with a closed-mind, go understanding you’ll eventually end up in the right place. Tip 3: Be yourself The biggest tip is to be your true, authentic self. Yaden said the biggest stresses for new recruits is feeling like you have to be perfect. Yaden said new recruits should “be as true to yourself as possible; sororities want to see the true you.” What can help the most is being yourself because you’re not only joining a chapter, but rather a community that is dedicated to making the best version of you possible. Recruitment week is all about being yourself and finding your home away from home. Don’t be stressed about how you should act—there’s a place for you on campus and in the community.

Josh Kelly ASSISTANT ARTS & LIFE EDITOR

Fraternities prepare to welcome more than 200 potential brothers into the seven Interfraternity Council (IFC) brotherhoods next week. Fraternity rush starts Sept. 7 and during the event-filled week perspectives can look forward to laser tag with Phi Gamma Delta, a potluck with Tau Kappa Epsilon, capture-theflag with Sigma Phi Epsilon and much more with NKU’s fraternities. Rush is an annual event that all chapters go through as a semi-formal process of recruiting new members, but it’s not the only time to rush into a fraternity. At NKU, IFC extends yearround recruitment to upperclassmen; some fraternities also host spring recruitment, open to all students. IFC President Isaac Dailey went through recruitment when he was a freshman because he didn’t know a

lot of people at NKU. Dailey felt it was the best way for him to meet new friends. “I think [Greek life] has developed me into who I am now with my work not only in my fraternity, but the whole community,” said Dailey, now in his senior year. As the president, Dailey recognized the differences in NKU’s Greek life as compared to other college campuses. Some of those differences include having residential halls instead of houses, more affordable dues and a smaller Greek population. But he noted the benefits that it comes with as well. “We are a culture that is just made up of a big diverse background of people just like NKU, and what makes us different is that we are very holistic in how we do things as a community. Everyone is very supportive of everyone else,” Dailey said. Dailey said that support is

something the Greek community does well. In the past year, NKU’s chapters of Pi Kappa Alpha, Alpha Tau Omega and Theta Chi received awards at the national level at their respective conventions. The awards aren’t just getting noticed by NKU, as Forbes also commented on NKU Greek Life on campus. While you may be deciding which fraternity to rush, know that each fraternity on campus recruits based on the values their founders set up for the chapter. Yet no one person is the exact same as his brothers. “We don’t just recruit one type of person; every fraternity has a diverse mixture in their own chapters,” Dailey said. Dailey encouraged all students to come into Greek life with an open mind. “Never think that you’re too good for something,” Dailey said. “If you’re the slightest bit interested, look into it because there’s amazing opportunities here.”

ERNI

FRAT

FRATERNITIES

SORORITIES

PHO

DE ROVI OS P

OF FFICE

IT ROR & SO

Y LIF

Arts & Life 05

04 Arts & Life

D BY

Jess Abner CONTRIBUTOR

Josh Kelly ASSISTANT ARTS & LIFE EDITOR

ERNI

FRAT

FRATERNITIES

SORORITIES

PHO

DE ROVI OS P

OF FFICE

IT ROR & SO

Y LIF

Ed 62, Issue 3

News 06

Dada, Bluford w iYou’ve n S Ggot A mail: p r e s i How d e nhackers t i a ltarget NKU students, and what you can do to stop them election PHOTO BY DANIELLE MAYS

Sam Rosenstiel EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Do you keep getting suspicious emails offering work-from-home positions, or unfamiliar users looking for a personal assistant, promising big bucks upfront? NKU Outlook users could be victims of a recent “spear-phishing” campaign, a spamming strategy to dupe students into giving up money and personal info. The most recent round of spam comes from Outlook addresses advertising a part-time personal assistant position from “the Hiring Manager of ADP Payroll Solutions.” Then they ask for a phone number to contact you about the job. ADP, a real international company, did not respond to The Northerner’s request for confirmation of the email’s authenticity. Junior elementary education major Kaitlyn Long said she hasn’t received a lot of spam this year until she got four odd messages from the same address. “I’ve learned from experience about what spam looks like,” Long said. “I

just assume everything is too good to be true.” NKU’s IT department won’t ever ask for your account info through email, so be wary if someone claiming to be with the university asks for your username or password. Fishy emails can contain bad spelling, grammar and requests for addresses and phone numbers. It’s not clear who exactly is sending the latest round of spam, which appears to offer students “dedicated, honest” personal assistant jobs and ask for a phone number. Associate NKU IT director Jennifer Taylor says the university email system automatically trusts nku.edu email addresses, so if one person’s account is compromised, the attack can spread “unchecked” to every user until IT corrects the problem. “The goal is to gain the trust of the victim and entice them to reply to the email, and then to provide money for a product or service through hard-to-trace methods,” Taylor told The Northerner in an email.

Spear-phishing targets specific individuals or small groups by taking student contact info from social media and other public websites, Taylor explained. After they find your information, spammers send carefully-worded emails that look real enough to bypass filters. “Spammers are cunning,” Taylor said. “They understand that spam filters rely on obvious key word phrases for detection, therefore they carefully exploit the fine line between spam and genuine business email by making the email content appear legitimate.” But some spammers have moved on from the suspicious hyperlink baitand-switch. “They forego the obvious hyperlinks to bogus websites, instead waiting for the victim to reply to the email, then they exploit the victim,” Taylor said. Hackers of all grades use spearphishing to steal information, even from government officials. Microsoft recently seized dozens of phony spear-phishing websites made to look

like real U.S. government URLs to target politicians’ info, The New York Times reported in August. At NKU, hackers stole over $30,000 from students in 2016 through an email check fraud scheme that also phished for victims’ bank information. Taylor said reporting suspicious emails as “Junk” makes it more likely for your email filter to catch them next time. If the problem continues, tell IT about it at abuse@nku.edu. No email account will ever be spam-free, Taylor said, so sometimes cleverly-worded junk mail makes its way to your inbox. Suspicious emails are held in quarantine, away from your main email folder. NKU Outlook’s quarantine scans up to 250,000 suspicious emails per day by filtering keywords and phrases spammers use to fish for your data. Users receive an email update at the end of the day to show the emails caught by the quarantine, but you can access those anytime online.

Ed 62, Issue 2

Arts & Life 07

& Dragons D a d Dungeons a, finds HOME Bluford AT NKU win SGA presidential election Owen Treolo REPORTER

You’re standing in a dungeon. You carry a sword in your right hand and a shield in your left. To your right stands a dwarf, portly and small and carrying a battle hammer. On your right is an elvish woman. She carries a bow with an arrow drawn, ready to fight. Standing in front of you is a dragon—one who isn’t happy to see a human, a dwarf and an elf interrupting his slumber. You look at your fellow warriors and they nod towards you. You raise your sword and charge the dragon, howling a battle cry. This is a game and not some climatic ending to a sword and sorcery TV show. It’s not your typical everyday board game like Monopoly. This is the game Dungeons and Dragons, and it’s been played by over 20 million people worldwide. Created by game enthusiast Gary Gygax in 1974, Dungeons and Dragons is played by three to seven people. It’s set inside a fantasy world inspired by stories such as Conan the Barbarian and “The Lord of the Rings.” NKU has become a home for many fans of the game. In the fall of 2017, Norse&Dragons was formed for those interested in learning about the game or searching for other players. “I had a small group of friends that I played with,” club president

Dylan Blades said. “We talked about forming Norse&Dragons and we just went ahead and did it.” The club wants to teach people how to play while also setting them up with potential players. “The club’s main purpose is networking,” treasurer Travis Ryan said. “Something we hold near and dear to our hearts is introducing people to the game.” But Norse&Dragons isn’t the only place to find adventurous students. On Monday nights in the lobby of Commonwealth Hall, students gather around a table as they venture through a dungeon fighting monsters. Ethan Perry is a Dungeon Master. His role is to run the game and create the story; being a DM is no easy task. “The hardest thing for me has been story,” he said. “I can spend a day planning something out, and then my players do something I don’t expect and turn the whole story sideways.” The DM is responsible for creating an environment that challenges players. “I write a story for D&D the same way I write an essay,” he said. “I start with a goal, then build a story around that. I try and make the story have a conflict that I find interesting, but one my players will enjoy.”

ILLUSTRATION BY NICOLE BROWNING

In 2017, “Wizards of the Coast,” the company that produces D&D, announced that the game had its most successful year since it was released. The rise in popularity can be credited to shows such as “Stranger Things” and “Community,” in which D&D is featured prominently. The game has developed a cult following over the years. David Ewalt, Forbes editor and author of the book “Of Dice and Men”, has been playing D&D since the mid 1980’s. “I think one of the main reasons people like playing D&D is because it offers a unique social experience,” Ewalt told The Northerner in direct messages. “You get to hang out with your friends and also go on an adventure together. You have a common goal, work together to get

past obstacles and share the ups and downs of the story.” The game has helped inspire game designers, filmmakers, authors and helped them unlock their creativity to create and tell their own stories. “It builds connections between people,” Ewalt said. “Most importantly, it’s fun! It’s like reading a good book or watching a movie crossed with playing a team sport.” Dungeons & Dragons continues to bring in new players every day with stories full of countless possibilities. From saving a blacksmith’s daughter from a horde of goblins, to uncovering the mystery behind a town’s curse— the game brings people together for a fun time. Norse&Dragons hosts meetings Tuesdays from 5-6 p.m. in the Business Academic Center Rm. 110.

08 Sports

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Cross Country holds first home opener in nearly 40 years

Sierra Newton REPORTER

It’s been 39 years since NKU held a cross country meet on campus, and the 36th Queen City Invitational just broke that streak. The Norse men’s team took fifth place with 125 points overall while the women’s squad placed ninth with 233 points on Saturday. “We’ve hosted meets, but they’ve all been off-campus and we kind of depended on other people and our track team a lot more than today,” head coach Steve Kruse said. “With it truly being on campus, it’s just a lot easier.” Getting the course was “a total team effort” from various people in the athletic department, roads and grounds, and the maintenance division of the university. It took some preparation that started last fall and continued throughout the summer. “It’s nice to be able to have a home course and have people from NKU be able to walk to the meet,” senior Hannah Tobler said. “And that results in a lot more support than from the past few years.” The course has an “old school” feel, Tobler said. The trail is windy, has hills, and sharp turns, so knowing when to play it smart and when to go was key in this meet. “Some of the courses we run on are pretty well manicured and some of them are golf courses,” Tobler said. “So this was a little bit more with the spirit of cross country than the other courses have been.” The Queen City Invitational brought 14 teams for the men’s race with 178 runners on the course and the women’s race had 12 teams with 149 runners on the trail. Alec Sandusky was the top finisher for the NKU mens team placing 12th with a time of 15:45:70. While Kyle Mastin finished 22nd with a time of 15:50:20, Ryan Burrows finished 25th with 15:55:00 and Blake Rigdon finished 59th with 16:27:90 rounding out the top five for the Norse scores. The men’s team finished fifth place with 125 points with an average time of 16:03. “Very pleased with the men,” Kruse said. “It was a total team effort today and just a couple points off from being right up there with everybody else.”

Alec Sandusky passes up other runners during the 5k hosted by NKU on Sept. 1. PHOTO BY COLIN JOHNSON

The women’s team finished ninth place with 233 points with an average time of 19:42. Tobler was the top finisher for the women’s team, placing 27th at 18:48:20. Jennah Flairty finished in 37th at 19:10:20, Sydnee Mangette finished 64th at 19:43:50, Kimmy Wolfe finished 80th at 20:14:60 and Savannah Brady crossed the line 90th at 20:31:60 to round up the Norse scores. “Some emotion was involved today, again very hard and they put themselves in contention,” Kruse said. “All in all, we’ll get stronger from this point on as we go through the season and every week we will improve, there’s no question.”

Jennah Flairty runs during the 5k race hosted by NKU on Sept. 1. PHOTO BY COLIN JOHNSON