The Northerner | Ed. 64 Issue 1 by thenortherner.com

Edition 64, Issue 1 Wednesday, August 21, 2019

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Back to School

the independent student news organization of northern kentucky university

@northernermedia

Nostalgic for summer vibes? Scan here:

Advice for freshmen from the editors page 3

Meet your 2019 SGA president, vp page 6

ILLUSTRATION BY KAMRYN SPENCE

02 Happenings

NORTHERNER STAFF WWW.THENORTHERNER.COM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Natalie Hamren [hamrenn1@nku.edu] MANAGING EDITOR Josh Kelly [kellyjoshual17@gmail.com] NEWS EDITOR Josh Goad [goadj2@nku.edu] NEWS EDITOR Billy Keeney [keeneyw1@nku.edu] ASST. NEWS EDITOR Noelle Horn [hornn3@nku.edu] ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Kane Mitten [kane.mitten@gmail.com] ASST. ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Corinne Byrne [corinnefaith217@gmail.com] SPORTS EDITOR Sierra Newton [sflnewton@gmail.com] COPY EDITOR Noël Waltz [hailee.waltz@gmail.com] PHOTO EDITOR Colin Johnson [johnsonphotography6626@gmail.com] ASST. PHOTO EDITOR Maya Shaffer [mayakat1998@gmail.com] VIDEO EDITOR Abby Behrens [behrensm1@nku.edu] ASST. VIDEO EDITOR Megan Mixon [mixonm1@mymail.nku.edu] DESIGN EDITOR Kamryn Spence [spencek2@nku.edu] WEB EDITOR Laine Harrett [nicholasharrett25@gmail.com] ASST. WEB EDITOR Sean Gibson [seanpgib@gmail.com] ADVISOR Michele Day [daymi@nku.edu] JOIN US 5 P.M. Mondays in Griffin Hall 204 Visit us in our newsroom GH 125

ABOUT THE NORTHERNER 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 US The Northerner Griffin Hall Rm. 125 Highland Heights, KY 41099 Editor in Chief: (859) 572-5232 Advertising: (859) 572-6677

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

WHAT TO DO

Check out the hottest campus happenings and can’t miss events in Greater Cincinnati

Victorfest

Events

NKU Night at the Florence Freedom | Aug. 22 | Florence Freedom Ballpark | 5 p.m.

Cincinnati Art Museum Burning Man Exhibit | Through Sept. 2 | Cincinnati Art Museum | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Head over to Student Union 316 to get your tickets for the Florence Freedom baseball game. The first 100 students to claim a ticket get free admission. Tickets also include a bus ride to and from the game and a President Vaidya bobblehead.

For art lovers, be sure to make a trip to the Cincinnati Art Museum to experience their unique Burning Man exhibit, featuring art from the world-famous festival in Black Rock Desert, Nevada. Student admission is $5 Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and admission is free on Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m.

Victorfest Day of Service | Aug. 24 | Student Union first floor | 10 a.m.

“American Idiot” | Aug. 23 through 25 | The Carnegie | 7:30 p.m.

Here’s your chance to give back to the community. Students will meet at the SU in the morning to be taken to a local site to do volunteer work. Be sure to sign up on MyEngagement, if you’re interested in participating.

Green Day’s musical “American Idiot” will be showing at the Carnegie in Covington Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office.

Paint Wars | Aug. 25 | Science Center Lawn | 2 p.m.

Shakespeare in the Park | Aug. 27 | Uptown Park | 7 p.m.

Get colorful with a paint battle in this Victorfest tradition. Wear some old clothes and prepare to be splattered in all kinds of crazy colors.

If you enjoy watching classical theatre, or people dressed in fairy and donkey costumes, head over to Uptown Park in Oxford to see a rendition of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

NKU HOROSCOPES Josh Kelly

MANAGING EDITOR

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22)

As the dawn falls on Leo season, we [this journalist is a Leo] left for a bit, but we’re ready to take back the kingdom, NKU.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22)

You’re investigating your best friends and making sure they are worth your time. The answer will be found at the bottom of a reusable Starbucks cup.

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22)

You’re finding a lot of your friends coupling up, meanwhile your relationship status hasn’t changed since Mary Pat got hired in Norse Commons. Cuffing season is near, so beware the shots ahead.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21)

Don’t forget the passcode to your phone; you got it girl, you got it.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21)

After a cruel summer, the archer Taylor Swift has one tip: You can be a bit of handful at times, so you need to calm down.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19)

You finally have all your friends back together, but for some reason, it’s not the same. Find the root of it and defeat it.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18)

In honor of front runner Meg the Stallion the stars are celebrating “Real hot nerd fall” through this semester. Check back in the winter and see how the stars are then.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20)

You are in high demand for your craft and all you want to do is branch out and grow. Don’t let your major define you, be proud of your out-of-department minor.

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

This semester will be a defining point for your academics. You’re going to find yourself passing all your classes and walking the line, or at least fantasizing.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

This year, Taurus had great sleep, made it on time to class, charged their laptop, all just to fall asleep in their third class. Let’s try again Monday.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

Make sure every move you make is calculated this semester. This is very important; this is college. Don’t have time for one mistake.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

The guy in your orientation group has taken a liking to you. Be sure to remind him, as Ariana Grande stated, “You ain’t my boyfriend.”

Ed 64, Issue 1

Viewpoints 03

8:21

n Editors

Kane Mitten, Arts & Life Editor

Billy Keeney, News Editor

Get involved—seriously. My first two years at NKU I didn’t talk to many people, except those in my classes. I only went to class, talked to those few people for a bit and went home. Joining a club or organization is the best thing you can do at NKU, no matter what it is. There’s something for everyone on campus; you just have to look! My last few semesters, I’ve made friends I’ll talk to forever and memories I’ll remember for a lifetime. My only real college regret is that I’ve only got a year left with everyone I know, when I could’ve done all of this way sooner.

Branch out of the NKU world as soon as possible and don’t wait until your last two years (like me). The Greater Cincinnati area is home to rich history, exclusively unique to this area. Whether it be art, design or architecture—Cincinnati has breathtaking history around every corner that can’t be found anywhere else in the country. Make some friends and start exploring! You may even start calling Cincinnati home; I certainly did.

Senior

Sierra Newton, Sports Editor Senior

It’s okay to get a “C,” or even fail a test. As long as you take it as a learning experience and better yourself from that moment—this also works vice versa! If you weren’t the straight “A” student throughout grade school, you could flourish in college. Don’t get too down on yourself over a bad grade and be sure to celebrate the good ones.

Corinne Byrne, Assistant Arts & Life Editor Sophomore

Communication is key! Whether it’s with friends, family, classmates or professors—communication is vital to survive freshman year. Keep in touch with your friends—from home or NKY. Remember to update your family on your college life, especially if you’re far away. Communicate with classmates and professors, if you’re struggling or are going to have to miss class. Your professors want to see you succeed, but they need to be aware of what’s going on in order to help you.

Maya Shaffer, Assistant Photo Editor Senior

Apply for scholarships! College is expensive and having to take out a lot of loans sucks in the long run. NKU has a lot of scholarships available, and some are tailored for specific majors. You can ask your advisor about them. Trust me when I say your wallet and future self will thank you!

Noelle Horn, Assistant News Editor Senior

Senior

Abby Behrens, Video Editor Sophomore

Don’t be afraid to take it slow! College can be overwhelming. While it is great to get involved on campus, it’s also important to not burn yourself out. Take your time on finding what works for you, and remember to take care of yourself along the way.

Kamryn Spence, Design Editor Junior

As cheesy as it may sound, be ready for the unexpected! Begin this new chapter with an open mind. Whether you believe it or not, you are going to be exposed to various versions of “new.” There is so much to take in and you may find yourself getting overwhelmed. Be sure to take it one day at a time—sometimes one moment at a time. It is okay to ask for help and take a break to focus on your priorities.

Noël Waltz, Copy Editor Senior

The “Freshman 15” is a myth. Research suggests that the average amount of weight gain for college freshmen is actually closer to 3-5 pounds, which is expected in that developmental stage. Having total control over your eating habits can feel exciting, just be sure to listen to your body. Indulge in food that makes you feel good physically and mentally. Focus on nutrition, not calories. Prioritize movement of any kind, from a short walk around campus to a full body workout at the Campus Recreation Center. And, most importantly, do these things because you love your body, not because you hate it.

There is a lot of pressure when you start college. You want to find yourself, find your people and figure out what you are going to do for the rest of your life. This pressure can be motivating, but other times it can be debilitating. Take things at your own speed. Be honest with yourself and know what works for you and what doesn’t. Take advantage of resources on campus; you are not alone in what you are going through.

Josh Kelly, Managing Editor

Junior

Sean Gibson, Assistant Web Editor

Natalie Hamren, Editor-in-Chief

Prioritize your time and go to class. Get assignments done before they’re due, and not last minute. And, get involved! You’ll meet some of the best people in campus organizations.

Junior

Find your home. I say that as a student with my actual home being three hours away. Find the area that you can resort to as your comfort, safe haven and escape. Don’t form it in people; find it in yourself and your space. And, don’t feel like your former home is too far away. Always visit when you need a dose of your former home.

Sophomore

Reach out and make friends and connections with other students and professors. This opens up a world of opportunity at NKU and can truly impact your life. The biggest skills and developments during my time at NKU came from outside the classroom!

What I wish I knew as a freshman GRAPHIC BY KAMRYN SPENCE

04 Arts & Life

THINGS TO DO IN THE AREA

Arts & Life 05

Kane Mitten

ARTS & LIFE EDITOR

Exploring: Fountain Square 520 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45202 https://myfountainsquare.com Fountain Square is, essentially, the center of Cincinnati. From the fountain it’s named after, to the tons of restaurants in the area and always-happening events in the plaza, Fountain Square is a spectacle to behold. Not much else really needs to be said. If you haven’t been here yet, what are you waiting for? Over-the-Rhine Cincinnati, OH 45202 OTR is easily the coolest district in Cincinnati. There are tons of interesting buildings and shops, and Washington Park is a perfect place to sit back and relax. It is also unquestionably the absolute best place to go in the entire city if you’re hungry. Findlay Market is a one-of-akind experience that everyone in the area should visit at least once, and there are plenty of unique restaurants and breweries in the district that have their own special Cincinnati flavor. Mainstrasse Covington, KY 41011 http://www.mainstrasse.org Mainstrasse Village is a faux-19th century German neighborhood right in the heart of Covington. It’s got plenty of great restaurants, like Dee Felice—a café that serves New Orleans cuisine as a live band plays jazz—or the popular Strasse Haus pub. It’s also home to Covington’s famous Carroll Chimes Bell Tower, which chimes every two hours from morning to night as mechanical figures act out the story of the Pied Piper. Monmouth and York Street Newport, KY 41071 Monmouth and York Street are home to many of Newport’s most famous or most popular attractions. Ebert’s Meats has some of the best goetta in the Greater Cincinnati area. The famous Pepper Pod diner (which was recently seen in Netflix’s Ted Bundy biopic Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile) is just right up the road. Plenty of other bars, shops and historic restaurants line the street. Go north and you’ll reach the shopping center, Newport on the Levee.

Downtown Fort Thomas Fort Thomas, KY 41075 Fort Thomas, the largest city in Campbell County, is just a quick five minute drive from campus. Check out Tower Park for some great hiking trails, the Fort Thomas Museum to see some interesting Civil War memorabilia or the Fort Thomas Farmer’s Market for some fresh produce.

Arts: Cincinnati Art Museum 953 Eden Park Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-721-2787 https://www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org Pretty much every “what to do in Cincinnati for free” list is going to have the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center (as mentioned below) and the Cincinnati Art Museum at the top of the list. There’s good reason for that. The Cincinnati Art Museum leans more on the historical side of art, compared to the CAC, which is thoroughly modern; however, this isn’t always the case, as at the time of publication their biggest exhibit is dedicated to showcasing art from the legendary Burning Man festival in Nevada. Cincinnati Museum Center 1301 Western Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45203 (513) 287-7000 https://www.cincymuseum.org/ The Cincinnati Museum Center is located inside Union Terminal, which just finished a massive renovation last year. There are actually several different museums inside, including the Cincinnati History Museum, the Museum of Natural History and Science, the Nancy and David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center and the Duke Energy Children’s Museum. There’s also the Robert D. Lindner OMNIMAX Theater, which shows educational films on its five-stories-tall screen. The CMC’s current main exhibit is Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs, which NKU actually assisted in putting together. Frank Duveneck Arts & Cultural Center 1232 Greenup St., Covington, KY http://www.duveneckcenter.org Frank Duveneck, the famous American artist, is from Covington—seriously, look

it up if you don’t believe this—and this center aims to carry on his legacy of teaching art to students. The center, once the home of the renowned artist, is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and teaches free art, writing and drama classes to everyone in the community.

Photo-ops: Roebling Bridge John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, Covington, KY 41011 https://roeblingbridge.org

You might not know the name, but you definitely know the color: Roebling Bridge is the blue bridge you’ve been seeing all over social media in pictures this summer. Esquire Theatre 320 Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45220 Roebling Bridge was, at one point, the longest bridge in the world; the record was lat513-281-8750 er set by John A. Roebling’s other famous http://esquiretheatre.com project you may have heard of known as Wanting to see a movie in the area? Skip the Brooklyn Bridge. Nowadays, it serves the Newport AMC; the Esquire Theatre as a popular photo spot. can’t be beat. Esquire gives you a movContemporary Arts Center ie-going experience that is much superi44 E. 6th St., Cincinnati, OH 45202 or than your run-of-the-mill theater and 513-345-8400 shows the latest blockbusters in tandem https://www.contemporaryartscenter. with cinema classics that you wouldn’t be org able to normally see on a big screen. Entertainment:

Follow pretty much any college student in the Greater Cincinnati area on Instagram and they’ll have several pictures taken in the Contemporary Arts Center. This free museum has a bevy of strange art on Bogart’s is pretty much the only name display, as well as the popular UnMuseum in town when it comes to having a mix of on the sixth floor, which has a variety of nationally known artists and lesser-known free-to-use art materials for everyone. local groups. If you’re trying to see a conAmerican Sign Museum cert on any given weekend, there’s a very 330 Monmouth Ave., Cincinnati, OH high chance Bogart’s is hosting one. Past 45225 artists include everyone from hip-hop 513-541-6366 artists like Cardi B and Chief Keef to inhttps://www.americansignmuseum.org die-pop acts like Carly Rae Jepsen or modern rock acts like Panic! At The Disco and 20,000 square feet of flashing neon signs. The Neighbourhood. That’s what you’ll find in the American Sign Museum, the only one of its kind in the entire world. In addition to being a Falcon Theatre 636 Monmouth St., Newport, KY 41071 pretty cool museum, it’s also the perfect place to take some pictures to look like (513) 479-6783 you just stepped out of a dimly-lit thriller https://falcontheater.net where the main character never talks. Falcon Theatre is a small performing arts theatre—think the stage size of NKU’s Nature: Henry Konstantinow, but with much more seating—with more unconventional plays than you’d see at any of the traditional theAult Park atres you’d see on this list. Plays on the list 3600 Observatory Ave., Cincinnati, OH for this season include a stage adaption of 45208 the Alfred Hitchcock classic “The 39 Steps” https://www.cincinnatiparks.com/ a Black Mirror-esque play about erasing parks-venues/east/ault-park/ memory, a play based on the true story of the friendship between Susan B. Anthony If you have any interest in nature at all, and Frederick Douglass and another about Ault Park is the place to be. Picnic areas, the story of 19th-century female astrono- hiking trails, children’s play areas, botanmer Henrietta Leavitt. ical gardens, fountains, public art displays Bogarts 2621 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45219 (513) 872-8801 http://bogarts.com

and constant events; this 224-acre park has everything you’d want out of a city park. Get to Ault Park as soon as possible—breathtaking views await you. Devou Park 1201 Park Dr., Covington, KY 41011 (859) 292-2160 https://www.exploredevoupark.org A good number of the pictures you see of the Cincinnati skyline are taken from Memorial Overlook in Devou Park. This park is perfect for a picnic with a scenic view; you can see all of Cincinnati and Covington from the highest point. But that’s not all there is to Devou Park—far from it, actually. The park holds several fishing spots, hiking trails, biking areas, a bar & grill and an 18-hole golf course. Big Bone Lick State Park 3380 Beaver Rd., Union, KY 41091 (859) 384-3522 https://parks.ky.gov/parks/historicsites/big-bone-lick/ Ever seen a bison in person before? If not, travel south to Union, where you’ll see more bison than you could even imagine residing with various other animals. Big Bone Lick is also a popular spot for bird-watching and camping in the area.

World War I and II, then a famous party boat. Thomas Edison conducted experiments on the ship, and President Ronald Reagan traveled in it. Madonna later filmed the music video for “Papa Don’t Preach,” the single from her third album, on the Sachem. It was reportedly scrapped in 1984, but turned up abandoned in its current location. Now, it is rumored to be haunted, and is simply known by most locals as the “Ghost Ship.” Take a kayak down the river to see it, if you dare. NKU Anthropology Museum Northern Kentucky University, Landrum Academic Center https://www.facebook.com/NKUMuseumofAnthropology There are several Native American artifacts on display, in addition to folk art from world cultures in Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia and New Guinea. It’s not always open to the public, but take an anthropology class or check their Facebook for special times when you can get a peek at one of NKU’s best-kept secrets.

Obscure: Lucky Cat Museum 2511 Essex Pl., Cincinnati, OH 45206 513-633-3923 http://www.luckycatmewseum.com Ever been to a Chinese or Japanese restaurant and seen a statue of a cat holding up its paw at the door? Would you like to see over a thousand of these statues in the same place? Journey to Essex Studios, a clothing factory turned art space in Walnut Hills, that holds this one-of-a-kind museum. The gift shop in the museum features art from local Cincinnati creatives and t-shirts that are made and crafted in the former clothing factory. USS Sachem Ruins Petersburg, KY https://www.the-sachem-project.org Anchored in a Boone County tributary is one of America’s least-known artifacts. Taylor Creek holds the ruins of the USS Sachem, a boat that was used in both

FOR THE COMPLETE LIST, VISIT THENORTHERNER.COM PHOTOS BY BILLY KEENEY

04 Arts & Life

THINGS TO DO IN THE AREA

Arts & Life 05

Kane Mitten

ARTS & LIFE EDITOR

Photo-ops: Roebling Bridge John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, Covington, KY 41011 https://roeblingbridge.org

FOR THE COMPLETE LIST, VISIT THENORTHERNER.COM PHOTOS BY BILLY KEENEY

06 News

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

A conversation with 2019 SGA President, VP Josh Goad NEWS EDITOR

Jarett Lopez, senior political science major, and Shelby Sanford, senior public relations major, were elected SGA president and vice president for the 2019-2020 school year in March. They received 366 of the 814 votes by campaigning on what they believed were tangible goals, like nixing the “A-” and creating a legislative liaison position in SGA. Obtainable goals come from creative solutions—so, The Northerner sat down with NKU’s newest student officials to talk about their plans for the year to come. The Northerner: How can SGA get rid of the “A-”? Jarett Lopez: “We adopted the ‘A-’ in 2008; it was effective in 2009. The Faculty Senate vote on that measure was 18 to 10, which sounds like there were a lot of abstentions … There was a report that was released by WKU’s Institutional Research—they were going to adopt the ‘plus, minus system’ around the same time we were. But, they found that it would hurt 30% of students and their GPA … We believe that students who are getting 90% of the points in a course should be rewarded and not punished when it comes to GPA calculations.” Shelby Sanford: “One thing that we talked about with our campaign was picking a few specific, very tangible goals that the student body could see us accomplish. Big, grand ideas are fantastic when you’re running a campaign, but we knew that, as students, we wanted to see tangible change and we knew that the student body did too.” N: For the students that are really trying, what does that “minus” do? JL: “It’s the difference between a 4.0 and a 3.7/3.6, which can really drag your GPA down.” SS: “Another thing is that when students are looking into grad schools, law schools, medical schools, that’s a huge difference in GPA. And, a lot of cases like that can knock students out of the running. When you look at some of the other regional universities who don’t have that ‘plus, minus system,’ it puts our students at a disadvantage because we do put that system into place. You have to look at how big of a factor that is in their GPA.”

Senior Shelby Sanford, vice president, and senior Jarett Lopez, president, were sworn in July 17, 2019. PHOTO BY BILLY KEENEY

N: You also talked about having more access to mental health and wellness features. Do you think that’s still something that’s a high priority? Is it something that you guys see affecting this semester? Next semester? JL: “Mental health is an issue that affects people every day. Because it affects students on such a grand level, it’s a priority of ours. Our resolution that we passed last year, under Hannah Edelen, to diversify the [Health, Counseling & Student Wellness Center] has been well received ... but we campaigned on mental health days for students and I just saw a university that recently allowed students to get an excused absence—mental health days for anxiety or depression. I would love to see that adopted here. And, while the conversation hasn’t exactly started around that, it would be an easy conversation to have.” N: Any other ideas or things that have caught your ear over the summer that you might want to start with this semester? SS: “One of the things that I sent [Lopez] over the summer was that … for students that have diabetes, that have to administer injections and stuff on campus. Safe boxes, it’s in bathrooms where they can dispose of their needles and

stuff … but that’s definitely something that someone doesn’t deal with those issues that you don’t really think about. But there’s probably a significant amount of our students that do have to deal with that every single day on campus. So, that should be made easier for them.” N: Do you think you can actually get a legislative liaison position within your organization? SS: “I definitely think we would have the administrative support. I think that’s a very, very, very important student position now, and I think it would obviously have to be a very serious process about who would get that position.” N: If you could give some advice to new students, what would it be? SS: “I can say that, coming to NKU, I knew that getting involved was going to be the way that I was going to be successful. You see that in all of the research that we do on our campus, and on every other campus, it shows that if you are involved on campus, your grades are significantly better, your mental health is better. Being involved is the best thing you can do for yourself as a student.” JL: “Even more important than that, I think that every freshman should know that they need need to build a relationship with their faculty. I would not have

made it this far if it weren’t for the faculty that I’ve connected with—that I can go to their office and just sit and talk and complain about my day, or complain about an assignment, ask for help.” SS: “We want students to reach out to us and give us their input and their ideas. You don’t have to be a senator in SGA to tell us what you think SGA needs to be working on. That’s something that, if I could tell that to every single freshman that was walking in the doors NKU. Tell us the changes that you want to see because that’s what we’re supposed to do.”

“Mental health is an issue that affects people every day. Because it affects students on such a grand level, it’s a priority of ours,” - Jarett Lopez, SGA president

Ed 64, Issue 1

HOW SUCCESS BY DESIGN

News 07

PRIORITIZES STUDENT SUCCESS Billy Keeney NEWS EDITOR

Bonita Brown, NKU’s vice president and chief strategic officer, believes Success by Design could be a model for colleges across the country. PHOTO BY BILLY KEENEY

NKU made public Success by Design in April 2019, which will serve as its strategic framework for the next three years. NKU’s goal is to increase access, achieve higher levels of completion and advance opportunity for career and community engagement. To lead this campus-wide initiative, President Ashish Vaidya created the position of vice president and chief strategic officer. He selected Bonita J. Brown, former vice president of Network Engagement for Achieving the Dream, to oversee the execution and implementation of the strategic framework. “[This new position] is going to be the central part of the facilitation, connections, building coalitions, building consensus, moving the agenda and—essentially—delivering on the results,” Vaidya said. According to Vaidya, Brown is going to play an essential role in the Success by Design framework. “I am very excited. I think what excites me the most is that the energy around the strategic plan. I was worried … we can’t be going through this with people burnt out, or if they don’t believe in the mission—but that’s just not the case here,” Brown said.

Graduation Rates Brown said she wants to remove the internal barriers that students face. She gave the example of a first-generation student getting lost in the “alphabet soup” language barrier found across campus. “‘What’s a Registrar? What’s ‘mynku?’ We [universities] speak in a whole different language, so we want to remove

barriers [like this] so that students can navigate,” Brown said. If students can navigate, they won’t get frustrated and they’ll graduate—which would improve the graduation rate, Brown said. “If we do this right, I really think we can not only increase the graduation rates here and the success of our students, but we could lay a roadmap for other universities that are similar to us,” Brown said. Brown said she agrees with Vaidya’ s want for the college to be student-ready. This means that whenever a student enrolls at NKU, they should be able to come in and successfully navigate a path to graduation—getting the degree they want in a reasonable amount of time. “It shouldn’t take you six years, if you really want to get out in four,” Brown said. “If not, I love the President’s statement when he says, ‘fail fast and move on.’ If it’s not working, we can adapt, we can adjust and we can make it fit in NKU,” Brown said.

Student Success Very few colleges’ entire strategic plan focus on student success—most schools have it as number two in a larger plan, according to Brown. With Success by Design, the entire plan focuses on student success. “That’s what attracted me to the entire plan … [Success by Design] sends the signal to everyone around that we’re serious about this,” Brown said. “I think the success of this, versus others, is going to be how much everyone gives— how we can stick with it when it gets

hard and challenging.” Brown said she wants to remind NKU the reasons behind Success by Design are student-centered and that they have to look at it from the students’ perspective. According to Brown, just because it’s in an implementation phase doesn’t mean Success by Design won’t need input from students. “As we’re coming up with ideas … I want to run it by students—so students can tell me ‘No, that makes no sense. Why would we do that?’” Brown said. At one of Brown’s previous jobs, her boss would keep a cut-out of a student in the middle of the table while her boss said, ‘This is why we’re here—everything we do is about the students.’ “On the national scene, there’s a lot of potential for NKU to make a splash—if we do this framework right,” Brown said.

Internships Part of Success by Design’s plan includes partnering with local companies to provide internships, scholarships and helping develop programs—alongside giving credit for prior learning and work experience. However, Brown thinks one size doesn’t fit all. “Partnership is just not one simple definition,” Brown said. “We can be creative, we can be innovative, we can think outside of the box—which inspires me.” Success by Design was made to impact staff, faculty, students and alumni . Part of their role would be to mentor students, but Brown said she wants them to do more than that. She wants to see them stick with a student all four years—not just one meeting. That includes taking them out for coffee, helping them practice interviewing and connecting them to other people. Brown said she believes the American Dream could slip away from the average person, and that, even if you do get a four-year degree, it may be hard to find a job to support your family. She believes that if NKU doesn’t fix this and address those affected by it in the region, the region won’t thrive. “I think NKU is vital to that [regional] success, because we’re producing future employers, we’re producing the future leaders of these organizations,” Brown said. “If we don’t get the educational piece right, the whole economy of the whole nation is going to be in jeopardy.”

Community Brown said she envisions NKU— faculty, staff, students and alumni—as stewards for the university and for this region. According to Brown, if NKU belongs to the region, it belongs to the community too. “I think [community visibility] is probably what this university has been struggling with for many years,” said Brown. “A lot of people know NKU, but they can’t really tell me a lot about it— that tells me we need to tell our story better and more often and in more places.” According to Brown, it will take time, but the more involved NKU is with the community, the more ownership it has. To achieve NKU’s insertion into the community, Brown hopes to get more people on campus for events—whether it’s the arts, public speakers, lectures or athletics—she thinks if you can find ways to get the community here, then eventually NKU will see the turnover. “I’m looking forward to NKU having a larger imprint in this area, crossing the bridge into Cincinnati,” Brown said. “Expanding that footprint to have a real impact on this region so that everyone knows that NKU is here.”

“If we do this right, I really think we can not only increase the graduation rates here and the success of our students, but we could lay a roadmap for other universities that are similar to us,” Brown said.

@northernermedia

08 Sports

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Women’s Norse tie Eagles 1-1 at home

Sierra Newton SPORTS EDITOR

The women’s soccer exhibition game against the Morehead State Eagles ended in a stalemate of 1-1 Saturday night. Morehead State only had one shot on goal, while the Norse produced seven. Junior Megan Patrick assisted junior midfielder Kailey Ivins on the lone goal of the evening. NKU and the Eagles both started exhibition season with losses. With NKU losing to Middle Tennessee 2-1 on Tuesday and Morehead losing to Marshall 2-0, both teams were fighting for a preseason win. “Morehead State is very well coached,” Head Coach Bob Sheehan said. “They’re very well organized, so it’s a terrific opponent to play in preseason.” In the first half, the Norse held kept Morehead from creating any shots on the goal and created four for themselves. Morehead was able to take one corner kick in the 21st minute, but did not convert that corner into a goal. “The first half was pretty rocky for us,” Ivins said. “... we’re kind of a younger team as well. We have a lot of lower classmen so just getting through the pains of the first half.” After halftime, the intensity and focus changed and more plays were made. “I think when it came to the second half we … came together,” Ivins said. “We were connecting balls and just had more of a confidence as a team in the final third.” Off the bench came Patrick, who served the ball to Ivins from a corner kick to put the Norse up 1-0 in the 60th minute. “Kailey’s one of our tall players so that’s someone that we do look for when we’re serving,” Patrick said. “You kind of just like aim for the middle of the box and who ever is there [scores].” In the 74th minute, Morehead answered back, which

brought the score to 1-1. Transfer goalie Mimi Stines made several big plays throughout the night and collected one save. “I think she’s come in and asserted herself,” Sheehan said. “She’s strong goalkeeper, she’s a good communicator really high character person and she’s had a really good preseason.” For the game, Morehead was able to keep possession for 53 percent of the game while NKU held it for 47 percent. Despite the possession disadvantage, the Norse out-shot Morehead 15-3, and also won the shots on goal 7-2. After this preseason matchup, the young team has identified their areas of improvement that “will come with time.” Sheehan acknowledges the changes as well and feels the team spirit will boost them to get to where they need to be to win. “I think the important thing to take away here is that we’ve got a lot of players who want to get on the field and their efforts, if they didn’t start, were fantastic tonight,” Sheehan said. “If we can get that type of intensity off the bench then our team’s only going to continue to grow and improve.” The Norse begin their regular season on the road in Tennessee against Lipscomb University on Thursday Aug. 22. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

2019 Women’s Home Games