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MMARCH ARCH 119, 9, 22015 015 > W WESTERN ESTERN KENTUCKY KENTUCKY UUNIVERSITY NIVERSITY > VOLUME VOLUME 90, 90, ISSUE ISSUE 39 39
80 WKU employees report fraudulently filed tax returns
BY TREY CRUMBIE
NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM
The IRS has informed about 80 WKU employees that their 2014 tax returns have been filed fraudulently. The recent surge of reports come a little more than a month after Anthem, the nation’s second-largest health insurance provider, announced that it had suffered a data breach, leaving the personal information of potentially 80 million people at risk, including 4,600 current and former WKU employees. Anthem has functioned as the third party administrator for WKU’s self-insured Employee Health Plan since the beginning of 2003. The number of employees who have reported a fraudulently filed tax return has jumped by about 30 people since the beginning of March. Mac McKerral, associate professor of journalism, is one of the 80 WKU employees who have had a tax return filed fraudulently. McKerral said he received a letter from the IRS on Feb. 23 stating that an effort to direct deposit a tax return had failed. McKerral immediately knew something was wrong. “I knew something was amiss because my tax return hadn’t been filed yet,” he said. “And besides the fact, I never get refunds.” McKerral later received another letter from the IRS noting that the agency was investigating a fraudulently filed return. According to an email sent Monday to faculty and staff from President Gary Ransdell, there has been no evidence of any problems within WKU’s own IT systems, but WKU encourages employees who have had their tax returns filed fraudulently to inform the university so that it may inform Anthem. Tony Glisson, Human Resources director, told the Herald earlier this month that there hasn’t been any common link between the employees that have reported fraudulently filed tax returns. McKerral said he is not going to file any tax returns until the IRS confirms that the return already filed was not his. He will look into getting an extension beyond the April 15 deadline. Ransdell said it hasn’t been confirmed if all fraudulently filed tax returns are connected to the breach, but said that it wouldn’t be out of the question.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon Chapter President Dan Mulert responds to a question regarding his chapter's reaction to the racist chant that surfaced in a video from University of Oklahoma's SAE chapter last. President Gary Ransdell, himself an alumnus of SAE, invited all Greek chapter presidents to meet, Wednesday at the Student Government Association Senate chambers in Downing Student Union. NICK WAGNER/HERALD
Harsh Words Greek presidents meet to address race relations
BY LASHANA HARNEY AND ANDREW HENDERSON NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM For the first time in 18 years, every Greek organization president sat in the same room to address the same issue with President Gary Ransdell —
If anyone thinks that because I was in a WKU fraternity 40 years ago, that I would be anything less than swift and direct in dealing with any act of stupidity... then they are making a mistake .”
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in a WKU fraternity 40 years ago, that I would be anything less than swift and direct in dealing with any act of stupidity coming from any member or members of any WKU Greek organization today, then they are making a mistake,” Ransdell said, himself an alumnus of WKU’s Sigma Alpha Epsi-
President Gary Ransdell racism within Greek culture. “If anyone thinks that because I was
lon chapter. “I will be quick and harsh in my reactions to anything from any-
one in any WKU organization that hints or suggests racism on this campus.” Ransdell’s words were spurred by ‘acts of stupidity’ of a fraternity half the country away. A video uploaded online March 8 showed the members of University of Oklahoma’s SAE chapter singing “there will never be a nigger SAE.” The chapter was disbanded, its members kicked out of the house, and two members associated with the chant were expelled. Since the video surfaced, fraternity and sorority members across the nation have sought to dispel a growing negative image while reports of segregation, stereotypes and racism in Greek organizations steadily came into the light. Ransdell said what happened in Oklahoma should never be repeated
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PFT residents discover mold in several rooms BY SHANTEL PETTWAY AND SHELBY ROGERS NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM Mold is plaguing several rooms in Pearce-Ford Tower. The women of PFT were notified on March 3, via email, that the situation had been brought to light through Twitter. Residents with mold were encouraged to email their name, room number and where the mold is to Housing and Residence Life. “We are definitely wanting to help you get these units cleaned ASAP!” HRL Coordinator Sarah Haught said in the email.
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Pearce Ford Tower hall is currently facing a mold issue, with residents being encouraged to email Housing and Residence Life about mold affected areas. HARRISON HILL/ HERALD