@northernermediathenortherner.comThe Northerner NKU’s independent student-run newspaperWednesday, January 11, 2012 Edition 49, Issue 1 Value: 75 cents

Campus face continues to change

2011: The year in review

The move to D-1 for other schools

See News, p.5 See A&L, p.14See Sports, p.8

Northern Kentucky University’s anthropology program has earned its bragging rights. The pro-gram boasted an all-time high in enrollment, with 118 anthropology majors as of the fall 2011 semes-ter.

The number of anthropology majors enrolled is comparable in relation to other majors at NKU, with the lowest enrollment at 1, and the highest at 1,257, according to 2009 NKU enrollment records. However, in relation to other universities in Ken-tucky and the tri-state, NKU has the highest enroll-ment of anthropology majors.

Anthropology professor Judy Voelker thinks one reason for the growth in anthropology majors at NKU is the diversity in faculty. According to Voelk-er, each faculty member has a research region, some of which include Thailand, Madagascar and the Ohio Valley.

According to Voelker, the anthropology program at NKU offers a hands-on approach to learning, which further contributes to the popularity of the major.

“I think there’s opportunities both within and outside the classroom that make learning not just

more exciting, but more available,” Voelker said.Only about 20 to 25 students were majoring in

anthropology at NKU when Coordinator of Anthro-pology Sharlotte Neely began teaching the subject in 1974. The program has since grown, especially in the past 10 years.

One of Neely’s greatest challenges has been get-ting word out about the program and combating the belief that anthropology majors are unemployable. However, many companies, such as Proctor and Gamble and General Motors, hire anthropology majors, according to Neely.

Marcia Young, who graduated from NKU with a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology, was recently hired by Adult and Family Services for the State of Ken-tucky. Young, who wanted to help migrant workers in her area, said she has found her niche.

NKU alumna Emela Halilovic, who is currently pursuing a graduate degree in anthropology at Uni-versity of Sussex, said that after completing her de-gree she will be able to work for the United Nations or an independent research institution.

Some anthropology courses can help students find work in the field while still in school, too. Ac-cording to Neely, after taking an archaeology field course or a museum course, students are able to work in the respective fields.

“We get students doing anthropology almost from their first course,” Neely said. “I think that’s exciting.”

According to Halilovic, one of the things she liked best about the anthropology program was the help-fulness and open-mindedness of the professors.

“I always felt the freedom to express my ideas in their classrooms,” Halilovic said.

Young said she, too, felt accepted and welcomed within the anthropology community at NKU.

Halilovic said the only improvement she would suggest for the anthropology program is to offer more variety in courses that better reflect the many disciplines within anthropology.

Students who are not anthropology majors can benefit from the skills learned in anthropology classes, too. According to anthropology professor Douglas Hume, anthropology is commonly blended with other majors. The museum course, for exam-ple, teaches students skills which can be used in an anthropology museum or an art museum.

Anthropology also pairs well as a minor for stu-dents going into medical or law school, according to Voelker.

Regardless of what a student’s major is, though, anthropology offers a broader perspective of the world, Voelker said.

Roxanna BlevinsAssignment editor

Enrollment peaks for anthro majors

Photos by Emily Lindeau

Professors say hands-on approach to teaching helps increase numbers

OpEd January 11, 20122

As the Iowa cau-cuses come to a close, we find that, once again, the contend-ers for the R e p u b l i c a n presidential nominat ion have shuffled

in rank. Perhaps the most interesting feature in an otherwise typical elec-tion season is the candidate Ron Paul, who has managed to stay in the race despite a host of positions that place him outside the mainstream of con-servative American politics.

Seen initially as a marginal candi-date in the Republican nomination process, he nonetheless appears to be effectively channeling the zeit-geist of malcontent with Washington – remaining in the race against both former financier Mitt Romney and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

The reason for this probably lies in Paul’s broad-based appeal to both lib-eral and conservative factions in his support of ending the misguided “war on drugs” and interventionist foreign policy overseas. As economic reces-

sion and American disenchantment with a decade of “nation-building” in the Middle East peaks, Paul’s isola-tionism strikes a chord with a public weary of war.

The congressman from Texas seems to have the overwhelming sup-port of the young, which is unsurpris-ing considering the state of politics today. As evidenced by the rise of two populist political movements in the last few years alone, the longstanding dynamics of power in Washington are being increasingly scrutinized by the public.

While many are refreshed that a candidate with a truly distinctive po-sition on the issues has emerged from the otherwise standard offerings of the two-party system, it is necessary to examine Paul’s ideas with a criti-cal eye.

Paul has billed himself as an agent of change, and while that title is often used as a synonym for the superficial concessions introduced by various administrations, in this case, Paul is the real deal. He proposes radi-cal revision of the federal banking system and the sharp curtail of state defense spending along with dramati-

cally reduced and restructured taxa-tion. Paul’s ideas regarding foreign relations are largely complementary, withdrawing large chunks of federal aid and avoiding “entangling alli-ances” with foreign entities. His po-sition on social welfare programs are in keeping with the rest - he retains some support for Social Security, but remains hostile to the overarching theory of the welfare state, the pur-pose of which to some extent is ame-lioration of the excesses inherent to capitalism.

Paul’s vision of government is one vastly diminished from its current state, with little role in regulating the economy and virtually bereft of the power to do so.

Paul brings an interesting set of positions at a time when structural change seems increasingly neces-sary, but in many ways the solutions he brings to the table are political anachronisms that, when mixed with an irrational belief in the inefficiency of government, produce a recipe for instability and disaster.

The project of both Paul and lib-ertarians generally is to undo the aforementioned welfare state, and to

usher in a kind of neo-classical gold-en age based on a strict reading of the Constitution and the dogmas of old philosophers and economists. This will fail. Laissez-faire extremism, al-though hostile to the brand of corrupt state capitalism that paralyzes our political institutions, will do nothing but introduce an unstable and short-sighted class of profiteers in place of a carcinogenic but relatively constant oligarchy of state-subsidized corpo-rations.

There is, without a doubt, a great deal to appreciate in both Paul and libertarianism, as convictions related to drug addiction drain national re-sources and put non-violent offend-ers away for long, sometimes manda-tory prison terms.

Substantive economic reform seems absolutely essential as real wages continue to stagnate while cor-porations, increasingly bereft of any meaningful connection to a particular state, enjoy privilege. The state how-ever, is the only institution capable of restraining the rapaciousness of private capital – and if Paul has his way, workers will suffer the fear of a hazardous workplace and predatory labor practices as government throws up its hands.

In short, the congressman’s ideolo-gy calls for a return to the Gilded Age, as his young supporters may come to understand in the fullness of time.

Aaron SprinklesViewpoints editor

A look at a conservative outsider2012 Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has managed to hang on this long, with an ideologic view of the future

Just

for

laug

hsViewsEdition 49, Issue 1 3

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVEAndrew Despotes[despotesa1@nku.edu]

COPY EDITOR Elizabeth Parsons[parsonse3@nku.edu]

VIEW POINTS EDITORAaron Sprinkles [sprinklesa1@nku.edu]

The NorthernerFounders Hall Rm 314Highland Heights, KY 41099Editor in Chief: (859) 572-5812Newsroom: (859) 572- 6677 or 5620Advertising: (859) 572-5232Fax: (859) 572-5772E-mail: northerner@nku.eduWeb site: www.thenortherner.com

contactinformation

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFKarli Wood[woodk3@nku.edu]

ADVISERJacque Day[dayj6@nku.edu]

northernerstaffSTAFF WRITERSCaitlin Centner[centnerc1@nku.edu]

Tara Derington[deringtont1@nku.edu]

Kevin Erpenbeck[erpenbeckk1@nku.edu]

Matthew Neuhaus[neuhausm1@nku.edu]

Zachary Rogers[rogersz1@nku.edu]

NEWS EDITORClaire Higgins[higginsc1@nku.edu]

ARTS&LIFE EDITORBrandon Barb[barbb1@nku.edu]

It seems that every time a new editor-in-chief addresses The Northerner readership for the first time, we make it a point to detail the large amount of “change” that has hap-pened.

Well, yet again, things have changed here at The Northerner.

As displayed to readers in our Dec. 7 issue, the last of the Fall 2011 semester, former ed-itor-in-chief Cassie Stone moved on to finish her degree. Norse Code Radio General Man-ager Charlie Mattingly and copy desk chief Emily Christman graduated. Aly Durrett, our presentation editor, is currently in Arizona for an internship this semester.

Emily Lindeau stepped into Aly’s position, and Roxie Blevins has shifted into assign-ment editor from Arts & Life.

In addition to the large amount of shift-ing, restructuring and growth in the staff, we continue our dedication to accuracy and delivering the news that matters to students here at Northern Kentucky University.

The truth is, we are beginning the semester with one of the strongest staffs I’ve seen as-sembled in my time here at The Northerner. These students work every week to ensure

that a quality newspaper goes out on time. At the end of last semester, two of our own, Claire Higgins and Brandon Barb, were al-most arrested at a hospital for their efforts to chase a story. In addition to their commit-ment to hunting down the facts, the Found-ers Hall janitorial staff can vouch that many of the staff have been mistaken as homeless for the hours we spend in FH 314.

With the big news that’s hit campus this year, such as the search for a new university president and our move to D-1, you can bet that the staff of The Northerner will be put-ting in the time to keep the student body in-formed.

So, as we schlump back to campus along with the rest of the NKU student body, we ask that our readers send us their thoughts, comments and concerns. Just as we are all graded in class, the staff here grade our-selves each week, and your input is invalu-able to us.

Keep reading,Karli Wood

Editor-in-chief

ASSIGNMENT EDITORRoxanna Blevins[blevinsr1@mymail.nku.edu]

PRESENTATION EDITOREmily Lindeau[lindeaue1@nku.edu]

WEB EDITORBrittany Granville[granvilleb1@nku.edu]

furtherdetailsEntire content is copyright of The Northerner and may not be reprinted without prior con-sent. 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 censor-ship or advance approval. The Northerner staff respects the right to a free and open dialogue as allowed under the First Amendment.

VIDEOGRAPHERTravis Gibbons[gibbonsw1@nku.edu]

SPORTS FEATURES EDITORStephen Wilder[wilders3@nku.edu]

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Mazen Al-HarbiFreshman, Accounting

"I would like an update in Norse Commons. We

also need more vegetarian options."

Kayla EllisonSophomore, Psychology

"Extra parking would be really nice."

Caleb JohnsonFreshman, Environmen-

tal Science

"All the changes are a nice improvement."

rnpCompiled by

Tara Derington & Caitlin Centner

What do you think about the expansion of

NKU’s campus?

norse poll responses

Damon DodsonFreshman, Education

"It now looks like a legit campus."

The Northerner is back for another semester

News January 11, 20124

SGA seeking senators againFour more step down amidst branding campaign

Partnership with Dixie is beneficial to both grad and high school students

The Master of Social Work program at North-ern Kentucky University started a new partner-ship with Dixie Heights High School during the fall 2011 semester called the Dixie Mentorship program. The 15 Master of Social Work graduate students were paired with at-risk high school stu-dents to provide direction in overcoming barriers holding them back from their education. Through this partnership, the NKU students receive a first-hand look at the problems at-risk students face daily. They will also have the chance to address Dixie administrators and influence future policy making at the school. The NKU students also im-plemented a new technique called “photovoice” to help the high school students tell their stories.

Environmental education program receives largest grant in Ky.

Northern Kentucky University received the largest grant in the state from the AT&T Foun-dation. The foundation is presenting NKU with $22,000 to support environmental education in local middle schools, specifically school-based and field-based programs in waste management. The grant will go toward the total cost of the School- and Field-Based Environmental Educa-tion Program which is $280,000 over the next 5-7 years. According to NKU, “the funding, which begins in this month, will provide critical start-up costs such as personnel, operating, instructional supplies and local travel.” The waste management component of environmental issues is a main part of the Kentucky Core Content Standards for As-sessment. Steve Kerlin, director of NKU’s Center for Environmental Education, said the “programs in this content area for students of this age range have the largest chance of creating an impact on academic performance and student engagement.”

Alumna makes a name as notable Ky. “stylemaker”

Northern Kentucky University alumna Juliet Dillion was recently named a stylemaker by the Louisville Courier-Journal. Dillion, currently a hair stylist, has a trendy style with a touch of vin-tage. According to the Courier, one of Dillion’s sig-nature outfits is a dress with leggings and boots, as well as statement necklaces. Dillion also likes to pair basic pieces with “shoes that scream at you” or other statement jewelry, she said.

Fast-paced opportunity for future entreprenuers to introduce ideas

StartUp weekend at Northern Kentucky Univer-sity will give prospective entrepreneurs the chance to pitch an idea, put a student team together, de-velop the proof of concept and present the final product to a judging panel of local entrepreneurs. Participants will have 54 hours to complete their presentations on Jan. 13-15. For more informa-tion about StartUp weekend, visit http://north-ernkentucky.startupweekend.org/.

Across the University

The Student Government Association returned from winter break with a full schedule for the up-coming spring semester. A branding campaign is on the way, as well as four more senator seat openings and a spot for a new chief justice.

President Dustin Robinson announced that over the break, four senators resigned from SGA due to personal and scheduling reasons. The search is also under way for a new chief justice. Current chief jus-tice Abby Gross served four semesters, which is the maximum time a justice can sit on the board.

The new chief justice will be appointed at the next meeting on Jan. 23, according to Robinson.

Recently appointed Secretary for Public Relations Chanell Karr is working to re-brand SGA to better serve the student body. She said a new logo is in the works and video blogs on SGA’s website will be implemented.

Karr is also using the Student Union to set up tables and provide information to students about SGA.

The first resolution of the new year was also an-nounced; it is an effort to increase recycling on campus. Senator Clayton Castle read through the first reading of the resolution, which re-

quests the university “add recycling bins next to ev-ery trash receptacle where there are not currently any located.”

After some debate, Castle made it clear that this resolution was geared toward outdoor recycling, as opposed to inside, where there are more opportuni-ties to recycle.

The resolution will be re-read and up for passing at the organization’s meeting at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 23 in Student Union 104.

Claire HigginsNews editor

NewsEdition 49, Issue 1 5

With a new year and a fresh semes-ter just beginning, Northern Kentucky University is taking another step for-ward. Changes can be seen across the campus in new landscaping, new roads or new buildings.

Larry Blake, assistant vice president of Facilities Management, said that three new homes were recently pur-chased near Faren Drive. Blake said NKU had purchased about 25 homes throughout the last three years. Out of those 25 houses, three homes were demolished due to their uninhabitable conditions.

“We don’t go knocking on people doors … they come to us,” Blake said. He said the process goes like this: usu-ally the homeowners express their in-terest in selling to NKU, two apprais-als are performed and NKU normally pays the higher of the two appraisals.

Blake also mentioned that several of the homes on and around Johns Hill Road are owned by NKU, but rented

to married graduate students, law stu-dents and faculty and staff.

Blake said the recent purchases of homes have nothing to do with NKU’s recent Division I announcement.

“The only sports-related facility that

will be near that area will be a base-ball area, but that is not in the near future,” Blake said.

Amanda Couch, a senior biology major, said she was surprised that the houses were being rented out to fac-

ulty and graduate students.“I think it is a good thing that the

university is supporting faculty,” Couch said.

Couch also said she thought the op-tion to rent from the university was just another reason for graduate stu-dents to want to be at NKU.

As for construction around campus, Blake said most of it is on hold due to the upcoming winter weather. “As-phalt companies are not open in the winter, so construction will pick up again in March or April.”

Although students might not be-lieve it, parking has actually increased since the building of Griffin Hall. “All the spots that were taken away have been replaced in either the Welcome Center Parking Garage or by tempo-rary gravel lots,“ Blake said.

In the next two to three years, Blake said students could expect to see the University Drive Garage expand. The current plan is to expand off the back and double the amount of parking spaces.

Tara DeringtonStaff writer

Construction continues as students return

Construction on University Drive to extend the formerly dead-end section will continue in the spring as weather permits. The efforts are part of campus expansion and re-routing of traffic.

Photo by Brittany Granville

On-campus improvements move forward with new roads and new homes

Dec. 129:14 a.m. An individual was reportedly brushed by a moving vehicle while crossing the crosswalk on Carroll Drive. The individual was startled, but not injured by the incident.2:57 p.m. An unknown individual reportedly stole an unattended wallet from a counter in the Student Union.

Dec. 131:36 p.m. It was reported that an unknown person took a backpack, which contained textbooks, from an unlocked vehicle in Parking Lot K.3:15 p.m. Subject in Commonwealth Hall was charged with possession of marijuana.3:56 p.m. An individual in University Suites reported she was receiving strange text messages from an unknown person.

Dec. 141:44 p.m. A welfare check was requested for an individual in Commonwealth Hall.

Dec. 1611 a.m. Subject reported that a co-worker at The Bank of Kentucky Center stole money from their coat pocket between Nov. 22 and Nov. 30. 12:46 p.m. A two vehicle accident, with no injuries, was reported in Kenton Garage.

Dec. 1811:58 a.m. An unknown individual reportedly dam-aged tires and threw an ice cream shake onto the left side of a parked vehicle near Woodcrest Apart-ments.

Dec. 21Undocumented time. University Police ar-rested an individual who was operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol on Johns Hill Road.

Dec. 223:07 p.m. One vehicle was involved in an ac-cident at the campus roundabout. No injuries were reported.

Dec. 242:15 p.m. An individual was arrested off campus after being found to be under the influence of alco-hol and speeding 16 mph over the speed limit.

Jan. 311:26 p.m. University Police arrested an individual who was reportedly operating a vehicle under the in-fluence of alcohol on Sunset Dr.

University Police Beat

News January 11, 20126

Steely considers cafe for 24-hour labUnisex bathroom in atrium instrumental in making lab a possibility

Northern Kentucky University’s Steely Caffe may soon be a 24-hour lab with different food options.

To try to better meet the needs of students, the W. Frank Steely Library’s hours were extended to 2 a.m. during the week leading up to final exams for the 2011 fall semester. The library usually closes at midnight on weeknights.

According to Associate Provost of Library Ser-vices Arne Almquist, the extension will be repeated

preceding finals week this semester.Senior English creative writing major Kaitlin

Mills was one student who took advantage of the ex-tended hours. Mills, who said she goes to the library every day she has classes, uses the library mainly for computer access.

The first step to creating a 24-hour computer lab is creating a restroom, and Almquist said a request has been put in with the university to create a 24-hour unisex restroom to Steely Caffe.

Almquist could not provide an estimate of the cost of installing the restroom. However, he said

that it would be “fairly expensive.”

For students like Mills, the cost would be worth the investment.

“I have stayed in [the Math/Education/Psychology Center] all night before,” Mills said.

Sophomore his-tory major Jon Eizyk also said he would use Steely Caffe services overnight if the area were open.

“I work second shift;

I get off around 11,” Eizyk said. “If I don’t have any-thing to do, I would come here.”

However, not all students who use the library regularly would take advantage of 24-hour services.

“I usually come here around 11 [a.m.] or some-times 10,” said sophomore philosophy major Brock Larkins.

Both Larkins and freshman nursing major Seulgi Lee said they study in Steely Caffe every day, but they said they would not come to the library at any other times than when they already do.

With the potential renovations to Steely Caffe, comes the possibility changes for the food service in Steely Caffe.

Director of Business Operations and Auxiliary Services Andy Meeks is working with NKU’s food service partner, Chartwells, about updating food services in Steely Caffe.

Meeks, who said he is on board with the upgrade, stressed that no decisions have been made, but he the renovations would make the food services a more permanent fixture in the café. The food selec-tion and the food service hours, however, would not likely be affected.

According to Almquist, one of the potential changes would be to replace old furniture in Steely Caffe. Almquist said the changes were originally be-ing discussed for winter term, but they have been pushed back to summer.

Roxanna BlevinsAssignment editor

Steely Caffe may switch to 24-hour services in the future. The cafe currently closes a midnight, Sunday through Thursday, 5:30 on Friday, and 5:00 on Saturdays.

Photo by Roxanna Blevins

*Logo’s were taken from respective school’s websites.

Northern Kentucky UniversityLocation: Highland Heights, KYDivision II Conference: Great Lakes Valley Conference Joining DI: 2012Undergraduate Population:13,200

Kennesaw State UniversityLocation: Kennesaw, GADivision II Conference: Peach Belt ConferenceJoined Division I: 2005Undergraduate Population:23,500

Florida Gulf Coast UniversityLocation: Fort Myers, FLDivision II Conference: Not affiliated with a DIIJoined Division I: 2007Undergraduate Population:10,562

University of South Carolina UpstateLocation: Spartanburg, SCDivision II Conference: Peach Belt Conference Joined Division I: 2007Undergraduate Population:10,562

University of North Florida Location: Jacksonville, FLDivision II Conference: Peach Belt ConferenceJoined Division I: 2005Undergraduate Population:14,258

Take five: from D-II to A-SunThe Atlantic Sun Conference welcomes NKU as the fifth school to reclassify from the Division II ranks since 2005

John MinorSports news editor

Northern Kentucky University will make the transition to Division I next fall with its athletic programs competing in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Four teams currently in the Atlantic Sun Conference have moved from Division II since 2005.

The Kennesaw State University Owls were in Division II from 1994 to 2005 as a mem-ber of the Peach Belt Conference. The school, located approximately 20 miles north of At-lanta, won three Commissioner Cups, which are presented annually to the best overall athletic program in the conference.

The Owls also won five Division II national titles in four sports in that time, most recent-ly winning the women’s soccer title in 2003 and men’s basketball title in 2004.

“It’s been an interesting experience,” said Scott Whitlock, senior athletic director and softball coach at Kennesaw State. “When we left the comfort zone of Division II we were excited, but we were nervous about what we were getting into. We did not know how we would fare, but I think we got through it just fine.”

Since becoming Division I, the Owls have won a combined 15 regular-season and con-ference titles. They also won the All Sports Trophy in women’s sports for the 2009-10 season. The Owls finished second in 2009-10 and 2010-11 in the standings for the Bill Bibb Trophy, awarded annually to the best overall athletic program in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Also coming to the conference in 2005 were the University of North Florida Os-preys, located in Jacksonville, Fla. The Os-

preys were also members of the Division II Sunshine State Conference from 1992-97 and the Peach Belt Conference from 1997 until their move. They won the Peach Belt

Conference Commissioner’s Cup for five consecutive seasons, with the last one com-ing in the 2003-04 season.

In the school’s inaugural season in the Atlantic Sun Conference, six of the school’s teams finished in the top four in the confer-ence standings. Since then, the school has won a combined four regular-season and conference tournament titles. The Ospreys had their best overall success in 2010-11, fin-ishing third for the Bill Bibb Trophy.

Richard Gropper, the North Florida ath-letic director from 1994 to 2009, said the immediate success goes back to determining when it was the right time to make the move from Division II to Division I.

“We emerged as a nationally recognized Division II institution, and I felt like we could compete reasonably within our niche,” Gropper said. “[The goal was not to] neces-sarily win conference championships right off the bat, but be competitive, and we were.”

In 2007, two more teams came from Divi-sion II to the Atlantic Sun Conference. The University of South Carolina Upstate Spar-tans made the transition, also coming from the Peach Belt Conference, where they had been since 1990. The school was originally known as USC Spartanburg, and the name changed to USC Upstate in 2005. The school is located between Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C.

The Spartans won the Peach Belt Commis-sioner’s Cup four consecutive seasons from 1991-92 to 1994-95. In the Atlantic Sun Con-ference, the Spartans have won four regular season titles. USC Upstate is the smallest of the four schools who have made the transi-

tion to the Atlantic Sun recently.“Some sports handled it a lot better than

others,” said USC Upstate Athletic Director Mike Hall. “It’s tough and is a big adjust-ment. We are having to take smaller steps financially and hopefully we will grow in en-rollment and in resources.”

The Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles, also joining the conference in 2007, are a newer program in general, starting athlet-ics in 2000 with four teams. They made the move to Division II in 2000-2001 while expanding its sports to 10 in 2002-2003. Florida Gulf Coast Athletic Director Ken Kavanagh said the university is “in a unique situation as everything is brand new.”

The Eagles won 12 regular-season titles through the completion of the 2011 fall sports and just finished their transition pe-riod in the spring of 2011. Since joining, the Eagles have finished in the top five for the Sherman Day Trophy, awarded each year for the top women’s program in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Their best showing was a third-place finish in 2009-10.

The Eagles added men’s and women’s soc-cer teams when they made the move to Di-vision I. In the first year of eligibility, both teams advanced to the 2011 NCAA Tourna-ment. Kavanagh said that the quick results were due to a combination of factors.

“Great coaching, facilities and weather lends itself to great recruiting,” Kavanagh said. “Athletes can enjoy the climate and play great competition.”

NKU will start its four-year transition in the fall of 2012 and will compete against these four teams. Other teams in the Atlantic Sun Conference that will be conference op-ponents for the Norse are Stetson, Jackson-ville, Mercer, Lipscomb and East Tennessee State.

8 9

Sports January 11, 201210

The Bank of Kentucky Center has brought back Dollar Night at Conces-sions in order to entice more fans to at-tend basketball games.

The event has been designated for the home games of Jan. 26, Feb. 9, Feb. 18 and Feb. 23.

During those games, the concessions will offer dollar-priced beer and water, as well as pizza and hot dogs (which would alternate on different games).

Athletic director Scott Eaton said key match-up games were selected for the concession events.

“This year, we chose a few games we thought would provoke a little more interest [amongst the fans] so that we

could have a good crowd,” Eaton said. “We are hoping to have a great send-off from Division II. With the success of our teams, you are getting to see some

pretty darn good basketball out there.” Eaton also said the success of the bas-

ketball team may lead the BOKC to host more tournament games in the future.

“We are already hosting the Men’s Elite Eight, and it would be wonder-ful if our home team was playing in it,” Eaton said. “We are hoping to go from Division II to Division I on a high note and spark a lot of interest from our fan base.”

More promotional events for the NKU basketball program can be found at http://www.nkunorse.com.

Stephen Wilder contributed to this story.

Dollar food and beverages returnBasketball promotions offer discounted prices at concession stands

Kevin ErpenbeckStaff Writer

The Bank of Kentucky Center will host its Dollar Night at Concessions as part of 2011-2012 NKU Basketball Promotion Schedule for four of the remaining seven home games.

Photo courtesy of Joe Ruh

Now that the anticipation of join-ing a Division I conference is over, Northern Kentucky University is preparing to move to the next level with plans to keep on growing.

First, NKU will go four years with-out competing in NCAA post-season play, but the teams can collect regu-lar-season awards.

“We are able to compete in At-lantic Sun regular-season titles starting right away next year,” said NKU Athletic Director Scott Eaton. “All of our student athletes will still be eligible for all-conference, All-American and those types of ac-colades that are available, which is very important.”

The Norse will still be able to compete in other post-season tour-naments such as the National Invi-

tation Tournament (NIT) and the Women’s National Invitation Tour-nament (WNIT).

Eaton said all NKU coaches’ aim to be the first one to win an Atlan-

tic Sun regular-season champion-ship, which every team will have the chance to do next year.

“We have already received the schedules from the Atlantic Sun Conference,” Eaton said. “We are fully integrated into all of the schedules next year and our teams and coaches are very excited about it.”

Eaton said he is confident the Norse will still be an attractive spot for recruits, even though it will not be eligible for the NCAA post-sea-son tournament.

“We are still NKU,” Eaton said. “We are still recruiting the way we have always recruited. Our fa-cilities and academic programs are outstanding. We have a rich tradi-tion of success.”

NKU also welcomes any oppor-tunities to be on local or national television, but no official plans have been made.

“We already broadcast radio on 1160, which has been wonderful for us,” Eaton said. “All of our basket-ball games are also web-casted so they can be seen anywhere.”

Eaton said another way NKU will be able to get exposure is to be a part of tournaments that are al-ready involved in an ESPNU pack-age.

“If we are able to compete in some of those tournaments, that

would give us immediate access to those type of television opportuni-ties,” Eaton said.

Eaton expects to compete right away but understands that it may take some time for all of the sports programs to adjust at the higher level.

“If you look at some of the re-classifying institutions in the last decade, some of them have taken quite a few years to get back to that [successful] level,” Eaton said. “We will be looking for some patience from our fan base.”

Eaton said one of the biggest changes Division I will bring is that people might be able to iden-tify and relate to a lot of the teams

NKU will play, unlike the opponents it competes against right now.

“I think it will be fun to bring in some teams that we have only been able to play in exhibition games,” Eaton said. “It would be wonder-ful to bring Xavier on campus, or Ohio State, Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, Louisville, Indiana or any of those type of local schools that would draw some interests and that people can relate to.”

Compared to other conferences that NKU was looking at, traveling will be a little more difficult, op-posed to the Ohio Valley Conference or the Horizon League, according to Eaton.

“All of those institutions were in driving distance,” Eaton said. “Clearly, with the four institutions in the Atlantic Sun that are located in Florida, there is no way we can lose two days of missed class time being on a bus, so we will be flying. We really do not fly a great deal, so it will be an adjustment.”

Eaton said funding this move, internally and externally, may be a challenge for NKU, so there will be a $6 million Division I giving cam-paign in the very near future, ac-cording to Eaton.

SportsEdition 49, Issue 1 11

Division I brings changes for NKU

Stephen WilderSports features editor

Eaton discusses the Norse’s future in the Atlantic Sun Conference

Athletic Director Scott Eaton addresses the crowd during the Norse Force Pep Rally at the Bank of Kentucky Center after it was announced that NKU will be joining the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Photo by Stephen Wilder

Sports January 11, 201212

Northern Kentucky University began using IM-Leagues in fall 2011 in order to keep intramurals or-ganized and to make it easier for students to moni-tor which sports they are involved in and sign up to join a team.

Jeremy Chipman, coordinator for intramural sports and outdoor adventure programs, was hesi-tant to use the software at first, but he loves it now and said it has made his life easier in many ways.

“I was approached a couple of years ago about IM-Leagues,” Chipman said. “It was starting off at prob-ably 50-75 universities across the United States and now it has bloomed all the way up to 200 universi-ties.”

Chipman said it is a great way for students to interact with each other and organize their teams. Participants can also check their schedule to see when they play and check out all of the rosters.

“To me, it’s a smaller version of Facebook where [students] can communicate with one another and get on different pages,” Chipman said. “It also helps with free agents. If someone doesn’t have a team, they can sign in and actually contact people that are in need of players.”

According to Chipman, IMLeagues also makes his job easier because he does not have to do everything manually.

“It is freeing up time for me to be able to focus on other things,” Chipman said. “There would be hours of me putting in the leagues and who plays who. It has been a nice addition for the intramural program.”

Chipman said in the past he would have to get ev-ery student’s ISO number and email address and it was difficult having to chase them down. But with IMLeagues, “it is like they are actually doing the work for us.”

This year, IMLeagues added a single sign-in tech-nique. Students now have to sign in with their NKU

username and password. Then participants can click on the NKU link and find all of the sports that are currently offered.

“In the past, we would have information on the website, but now [students] can just sign in to one page and all of the information is right there,” Chip-man said. “We update it nightly as to who won and who lost and what their record is.”

Chipman said there was a big push this year for a sportsmanship rating. Participants have to have a certain rating in order to make the playoffs com-bined with going to a captain’s meeting.

Fraternities and sororities have a director’s cup, where they play for points, whether it be participa-tion, wins/losses or playoffs. They will be able to see all of their points on a daily basis, according to Chip-man.

In terms of payment, Chipman said, as of right now, students cannot pay for the sports online. They have to come into the Campus Recreation Center and pay at the front desk or at the intramural office.

Stephen WilderSports features editor

Facebook for intramuralsIMLeagues makes it easy for students to sign up and monitor sports

Photo courtesy of Jeremy Chipman ________________

NKU students who want to participate in intramurals must sign up through IMLeagues.com, where they can manage rosters.

Arts & Life January 11, 201214

Photos courtesy of MCT Campus

Soon after classes begin, the grounds of Northern Kentucky University will buzz with chatter about Homecoming 2012: Norse Story. Alumni will remi-nisce about old times as current stu-dents attend the time honored events, forming new memories of their own.

NKU senior and Homecoming Chair Rachel Ruehlman, who has spent three years on the Homecoming com-mittee, said the idea for Norse Story spawned from the movie “Toy Story.”

“Homecoming is a great way to show your school spirit and see many of your fellow classmates,” Ruehlman said. “You get to see history made while creating your own Norse Story.”

Homecoming events will begin on Jan. 13 with The Nearly Naked Run. Yes, clothing is required. Following

this event is the Homecoming Kickoff Party in the Albright Health Center. The Norse Story theme will be inter-twined with the activities.

The Nearly Naked Run is one of Ruehlman’s favorite events, but she thinks that tailgating will be a nice addition to round out homecoming week. Students will be able to tailgate prior to the Men’s and Women’s bas-ketball games Jan. 21 against the Lew-is University Flyers.

Among the new additions to Home-coming week are the standard events, the Homecoming Gala and Yell Like Hell.

“The Homecoming Gala is an el-egant event where we honor someone who has been very influential through-out the homecoming process,” Ruehl-man said. The Dutch and Duchess for Homecoming 2012 will be named at this event.

Contrary to the Home-coming Gala, Yell Like Hell gives students the opportunity to be cre-ative in showing their school spirit.

This year the African American Student Affairs Office has been the backbone behind the MLK Day of Service, which will give stu-dents, faculty and staff the opportu-nity to honor an influential entity to American history. Ruehlman said this will make it possible for NKU to give back to the community it resides in.

Following many other events, Homecoming 2012 will conclude with the basketball game where Home-coming King and Queen will be an-nounced.

Student organizations who partici-pate in Homecoming activities earn points throughout the week through

a t -t e n d a n c e and participation. Winners will be announced at the game.

“Homecoming is an exciting time, and the committee has done a fantas-tic job, from the advisers to other stu-dents who serve on the committee,” Ruehlman said.

For more information regarding Homecoming, visit the Facebook page or check out OrgSync for the 2012 Homecoming Registration Packet.

Arts & LifeEdition 49, Issue 1 15

Caitlin CentnerStaff writer

Homecoming 2012New events will be mixed with old as they take on the theme of Pixar’s “Toy Story”

During the snowy winter months, while Northern Kentucky University faculty and students are sleep-ing or enjoying some late night television, the cam-pus is being prepared for the daily grind.

The snow is cleared, the ice is melted and buckets of salt are strewn about the campus before anyone shows up for class. How does all of this happen? It isn’t the doing of a magical team of elves. This is the work of the Facilities Management grounds crew.

The materials used to clear the snow and melt the ice, not including the heavy equipment, cost around $100,000 a year, according to Assistant Vice Presi-dent of Facilities Management Larry Blake. Labor costs tack on another $31,000 to the varying yearly costs.

The ground crew’s day begins at 2 a.m. to ensure people can navigate the campus safely. While the men of the crew can be seen around campus, they are somewhat unknown to the student body at large.

Not only are the people who clear NKU’s roads and parking lots unknown, but the procedures that keep the university safe during the winter are often

unknown to students as well.One of the most common procedures that keeps

students and faculty safe is class cancellations. Careful consideration by multiple people goes into making the decision.

“The biggest communication is involved in the closure process. NKU’s Department of Public Safety gets road conditions, information from the highway departments to let them know what the conditions are in their communities. Because getting you to campus is just as important as having the campus ready when you get here,” Blake said.

In regards to when classes are cancelled, “there isn’t a set time period,” according to NKU Director of marketing and communications Chris Cole.

The chief of police, facilities management and a group of university officials try to close the campus as soon as possible, but sometimes making that de-cision relies on the conditions at the time and the future forecast. “If its going to be a night where we are anticipating some snow fall or ice, myself or a dispatcher will on the phone with facilities and kind of gauge how the roads are,” Police Chief Jason Wil-lis said.

There are varying factors that play into a cancella-

tion. “There’s not one factor that goes into that deci-sion,” Cole said.

The road conditions are surveyed, and are a con-cern for everyone, but one factor overlooked by stu-dents are the parking lots. When snow falls on the lots and then said snow is plowed up into mounds, if those mounds are too big and take up too many spots, a cancellation is made. Then other obvious factors are taken into consideration, such as snow emergencies in the different cities around NKU and what time the snow falls.

Timing is the hardest challenge faced by facili-ties management. “Snow storms aren’t predictable. They [weathermen] say they are coming and it’s go-ing to snow a couple of inches and then it drops five or six on you instantly,” Blake said.

Above all else, consideration of academics is the key factor in keeping the campus open or closed. If the number of cancelled days conflicts with tuition rates being paid, a cancellation is reconsidered.

“It’s a delicate balance, but I think we do every-thing we can to ensure that when we can be open safely and people can get here,” said Cole.

Brandon BarbA&L editor

A plethora of factors play into cancellations

Arts & Life January 11, 201216

Compiled by Tara Derington & Caitlin Centner

Step into Winter withStyleStyle was a major factor on the first day of the spring semes-ter. Boots, bags and blazers were seen across campus. Both sexes embraced the blazer, which is always fashionable no matter the season. Even though it doesn’t feel like winter is here just yet, an assortment of peacoats were on display. Expect more NKU fashion as the semester progresses.