Accessible (Summer 2021): Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region

Reimagined U

A new and improved NKU experience

NKU is excited to bring students, faculty, and staff back to campus this Fall. Student Affairs is working hard to create an exceptional experience once students return. Dr. Ashish Vaidya, President, sent the following video to all students recently.

Featured stories in this issue:

Norse Student Handbook | 2

Spotlight on Excellence: Campus Pride | 3

Dog Days of Summer with University Police | 4

Fresh Faces for a Fresh Start | 5

Student Affairs Updates and Events | 6

Norse Student Handbook

Your guide to getting involved at NKU

Student Affairs is pleased to introduce the Norse Student Handbook. Serving as a resource for students, the Norse Student Handbook contains services, policies and procedures, information about living and dining on campus, and how to get involved. The Norse Student Handbook is a direct companion to the NKU Course Catalog. If the course catalog is the guide for the academic experience at NKU, then the Norse Student Handbook is the guide to everything else!

Located on the Student Affairs webpage, the Norse Student Handbook has sections focused on learning more about NKU, our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusiveness, policies and procedures from throughout the University and Student Affairs, information about Title IX, FERPA, and privacy, and lots of information on how to get involved.

Not sure where to start? Visit the Norse Student Handbook homepage.

Looking for ways to get involved? Check out the sections for the Center for Student Engagement, Leadership University, Student Government Association, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Campus Recreation, and University Housing.

You can also follow many of our Student Affairs offices on Social Media. For a one-stop place to follow offices on your favorite social media channels, please visit the Social Media guide.

We look forward to engaging you in the Norse Student Community!

A New Culinary Experience

Announced in May, NKU will be opening a number of new restaurants this Fall and will be revising dining hours to better align with class schedules.

We are looking forward to having everyone back to our vibrant campus with several new restaurants kicking off the fall semester, including Qdoba Mexican Eats! Chartwells is introducing new internal brands Create Chop’d and Wrap’d and Smoked BBQ as well as unveiling menu upgrades at Smash’d Baked Potato Bar. All your favorite restaurants will still be available, including Ace Sushi, Steak ‘n Shake, Sbarro Pizza, Einstein Bros Bagels, Norse Street Subs and the Student Choice Restaurant – featuring Absurd Bird Tenders, Melt Lab Grilled Cheese and The Travel Wagon. Starting in the fall, several food and beverage operations will have expanded hours to accommodate students who are on campus later in the day.

Questions can be directed to Andy Meeks, Director of Business Operations and Auxiliary Services.

Spotlight on Excellence: Campus Pride

Northern Kentucky University was featured as one of five institutions to receive a spotlight for the Best of 2020 LGBTQ Inclusive Campuses by Campus Pride, a leading national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization for student leaders and campus groups working to create a safer college environment for LGBTQ students. The organization is a volunteer-driven network “for” and “by” student leaders.* Each year, Campus Pride published the "Campus Pride Index," rating schools from 1 to 5 on how LGBT friendly they are. NKU has proudly achieved a perfect 5 rating for the past few years and is a leading institution around the country.

*https://www.campuspride.org/about/

Building a New Residential Experience

Recently, Leadership Team members from Student Affairs visited the new Residence Hall to see its progress. They are sharing the following pictures (and more on the Housing website!) to let you know everything will be ready for move-in in August! Visit the webpage for the New Residence Hall to see more!

Partner Spotlight: CARE Closet

The Care Closet @ NKU offers free clothing to assist NKU students in finding appropriate interview wear and everyday needs. Opened first in Fall 2020, the Care Closet was conceived by Carolyn Noe in the Institute for Health Innovation as a part of the Institute for Health Innovation's Social Determinants of Health Applied Research. Along with Opportunity House and Geek Your Health, the Care Closet fills a need for students at NKU who may not be able to afford new clothes or have an opportunity to get off campus to get them.

The Care Closet started during the FUEL NKU Thanksgiving Dinner in 2019 and with a pop-up shop in February 2020. The Care Closet now has a permanent location, as of May 24, 2021, in University Center 142. This space and its renovation was funded through donations from California Closets and is supported by the Care Closet, a non-profit organization in Newport that supports students across the region in accessing clothing.

The Care Closet at NKU offers free, gently used clothing, coats, and other items for students. Their Summer 2021 hours are:

Every Thursday and alternating Mondays and Wednesdays,
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Hours are by appointment only

To schedule an appointment, please visit the Care Closet @ NKU website. Graduate students can make an appointment by emailing Carolyn Noe at noec2@nku.edu.

Dog Days of Summer

Welcoming our newest recruit to University Police

On June 11, University Police received a new recruit to the force: Athena. Athena's predecessor, Arrit, was an explosives detection canine and spent many years with the department, faithfully serving the NKU community until his passing earlier this year. Athena will be taking on Arrit's previous duties while also adding a new role: therapy/comfort dog.

"We saw this as an opportunity to expand the community service and relationship building aspects of our canine program," says Police Chief, John Gaffin. Working closely with her handler, Officer Murray, Athena is regularly on campus and is being socialized to the campus environment. She is getting used to being around lots of people and in lots of different situations. She loves everyone and is doing great so far. She is currently working on basic obedience commands, so ask Officer Murray before coming up to pet her.

In a few months, Athena will start to learn about scents of different explosives and will get her full training as an explosives detection dog. Once her training is complete, Athena will be one of just a few dual-purpose police animals of this type in the country. The NKU community is proud to have her at our service!

She will be at as many events as she can this year and the department is looking into setting up meet-and-greets with her to facilitate her training and to help her acclimate to her role as a comfort/therapy animal.

Fun Facts about Athena:

Her right ear is not as pointy as her left. When she was born and her mother was cleaning her, she accidentally nipped her ear.
She's still learning about (and is a little scared of) STAIRS! She was born on a farm and the city life is new to her.

Fresh Faces for a Fresh Start

The Center for Student Engagement welcomes 3 new staff

DeVanee Lasley is the new Assistant Director for Multicultural Programming and Advisement at Northern Kentucky University. She received her Bachelors' degree from Western Kentucky University in 2016 with a degree in Recreation Administration. Soon after she worked as a graduate assistant for the department of campus recreation at the University of Nebraska Lincoln while pursuing her Master of Arts degree in Higher Education, which she received in May of 2019. She is currently pursuing her Doctoral degree at Trevecca Nazarene University in Leadership and Professional Practice. DeVanee has a passion for working with students in and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Emily Sagraves is the new Assistant Director for Student Engagement. Emily is from Fort Worth, Texas and most recently graduated from Texas Christian University (TCU) with her Masters in Education in Higher Education Leadership. Emily received her Bachelors of Arts in Biology, Pre-Med from Baylor University in 2019, where she worked with New Student Programming, Student Organizations, and Student Activities. At TCU, Emily was a graduate assistant for Student Activities and Student Organizations, as well as an intern for the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life. Her background includes student organization management, risk management, large-scale programming, advising programming boards, and overseeing religious and spiritual life initiatives. Emily is extremely excited to be here at Northern Kentucky University and to join the Norse Community!

Andrew Dorriere is the new Assistant Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life. Andrew is a Kentucky native and Northern Kentucky University alumnus. He is a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and was also involved in SGA, Leadership Mentors, and held multiple on campus positions during his time in undergrad. He then went on to receive his masters in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Andrew previously worked as the Assistant Director of Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA for the past two years.

A Familiar Face ROCKS a New Role

It was recently announced that Carlous Yates will be leaving his position as Director of African American Student Initiatives. This vacancy creates a significant void for our students, African American Student Initiatives, and the Center for Student Inclusiveness. After careful consideration, Mr. Greg Moore has been appointed as the Interim Associate Director for African American Student Initiatives.

As a former R.O.C.K.S. mentor and current NKU Alumni and advisor to NPHC, he is uniquely equipped to assist with a smooth transition for our students. Greg moved into this new role on July 7, giving him several weeks with Carlous to ensure that all AASI programs move forward seamlessly. We will conduct a national search for the new Director of African American Student Initiatives in January 2022.

Carlous Yates has accepted a new role as the Associate Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Chief Diversity Officer) at Bluegrass Community and Technical College. We want to wish Carlous much success in his new role.

Please congratulate Carlous and Greg on their new roles!

Campus Recreation

Mask Policy Update
Masks are no longer required. Masks or facial coverings are strongly recommended for those unvaccinated against COVID-19 at all times. Please visit the Campus Recreation website for more information.

Campus Rec Areas Re-Opening
The following areas of the Campus Recreation Center are now open for all to enjoy:

Basketball Courts | Showers | Bouldering Wall Racquetball Courts | Sauna | Equipment Issue

Bouldering Wall Summer Hours
Reach new heights this summer at the Bouldering Wall. Climbing shoes are available to borrow for free. Must be 6 years old or older to climb. Summer Hours are as follows:

Monday: 3:00p - 8:00p
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 3:00p - 8:00p
Thursday: 3:00p - 8:00p
Friday: Closed
Saturday: 10:00a - 3:00p
Sunday: Closed

Upward Bound

The Upward Bound sophomore participants, plus five of the junior participants, completed independent study papers and took classes online before moving into University Suites on Sunday, June 20, 2021. They have been taking classes in Landrum and the Science Center. They have also played putt-putt golf, swum at Campus Recreation, run around on the NKU campus during a scavenger hunt, toured the University of Kentucky, and toured Shaker Village. They are enjoying staying at University Suites and their meals with Chartwells at Norse Commons.

For more information about Upward Bound, please visit the Upward Bound website.

Health Services

Health Services is open for regular services Monday through Friday from 8:30a - 4:00p. Appointments are still required. Please call (859) 572-5650 for any questions or to schedule an appointment. To view services offered by Health Services, please visit the Health Services website.

Healthy U

sponsored by Health, Counseling, & Student Wellness

Summer is in full swing! Picnics, concerts, long anticipated vacations, beach trips and seeing friends face-to-face are finally occurring! Have a great time making new memories! Common sense and preparation are often your best tools to keep you healthy and enjoying the activities you love. NKU’s Health, Counseling & Student Wellness would to like to offer some simple tips to help stay safe this summer, so that we can see you back on campus this fall.

Always use caution and demonstrate responsible behaviors at parties, especially when using fireworks, and consuming alcoholic beverages.
Arrive at your destination safely. Plan your travels with friends using smart phone maps & apps, allowing ample time for travel, rest and breaks while driving.
Wear your seat belt when in a car and wear a helmet when enjoying rides on bikes, motorcycles, scooters and ATV vehicles.
While hiking or reveling in the outdoors, prepare for sudden weather changes including storms, extreme heat and sun. Wear appropriate footwear, sunglasses, hats and clothing. Use sun screen and reapply often and stay hydrated.
If you venture into the hot zone of the Cicada Brood X, be thankful as they do not bite or sting. However, stay on the lookout for other animals and insects that do bite or sting and avoid plants, such as poison ivy, that even with a brief touch can cause hours of discomfort with rashes, blisters and itching.

Enjoy your summer break! Take the time to relax, recharge and rejuvenate your mind and body before your next adventure, your NKU fall 2021 semester!

Norse Violence Prevention Center

The Norse Violence Prevention Center is pleased to welcome their new Project Coordinator, Sammi Murrell, who started in late June. Sammi is an NKU alum and has experience with interpersonal violence prevention and facilitating bystander intervention workshops.

Is there a doctor in the house...?

Student Affairs is excited to congratulate Dr. Robert "Bob" Alston, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Conduct, Rights & Advocacy, for the successful defense of his dissertation on June 28, 2021, entitled:

Enduring Whiteness: Interrogating Racial Discourse in University Student Disciplinary Policies

Dr. Alston completed the Educational Doctorate program at NKU. We are proud to share his accomplishment and we hope you will congratulate him, as well.

Office for Student Accessibility

Access is important to an inclusive, student-ready campus and it is the law. ADA enforcement for state and local agencies, such as universities, is increasing and litigation is up 50 percent. To avoid these consequences, the Office for Student Accessibility wants to remind all web editors to train and prioritize these best web practices:

Properly nested heading tags;
Images have descriptive alt text;
Hyperlinks with descriptive text;
Transcripts or captioning for videos.

The accessibility training can be accessed on the web accessibility website.

Conference Management & Event Services

Conference Management and Event Services is pleased to welcome the newest addition to their team: Madison Elizabeth Koch. Madison was born a happy and healthy baby to Assistant Director for Conference Management, Leah Koch, in late June. Mom and baby are home and doing well and we look forward to welcoming Leah back to work after she gets to spend time with her beautiful baby. A huge congratulations to the Koch family for their newest addition!

Accessible (Summer 2021)

June/July 2021 | Issue 4