In the second installment of the WKU Presidential Speaker Series, Genova was invited to speak on campus to the public. Genova’s keynote speech, “How We Remember and Why We Forget”, expounded on her life’s research into human’s ability to remember, to forget and what can be done to protect memories, according to a WKU press release.

Genova said her goal was to show that forgetting things, like the location of phones or glasses that get placed down, is “actually a part of being human.”

“Memory is fascinating,” Genova said. “It’s essential to so much of who we are and what we do; from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep, and even then, the mechanisms behind memory are fast at work.”

After receiving her Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard University, Genova became a bestselling author in both nonfiction and fiction. She was the pen behind novels “Still Alice,” “Left Neglected,” “Love Anthony,” “Inside the O’Briens” and “Every Note Played.” “Still Alice,” Genova’s first book, was adapted into a film in 2014 starring Julianne Moore, who won the 2015 Best Actress Oscar for her role in the film.

Genova said she didn’t start writing “Still Alice” until she was almost 34 years old.

“Prior to that, I’d never written any creative writing,” Genova said. “I took one English class my freshman year in college.”

Genova points her draw to fiction storytelling to her grandmother.

“My grandmother had Alzheimer’s,” Genova said, “And as the neuroscientist in my family, I did everything I could to understand it.”

Genova said she did everything she could to understand the condition, from reading research papers by scientists, clinicians and social workers. All of these viewpoints, she said, were from the outside looking in.

“While I learned a lot, what I didn’t learn was, ‘What does it feel like from the perspective of the person with it?’” Genova asked. “What does it feel like to be my grandmother?”

Genova said she realized fiction was a place where “you can walk in someone else’s shoes and experience what it’s like to be someone else.”

“In the absence of a cure, this is really what all of us want with our loved ones with Alzheimer’s: is to stay emotionally connected,” Genova said. 

Genova said writing “Still Alice” was terrifying and exciting. 

“That book, more than any other, has made an impact on the world and how people are able to understand and relate to a very scary neurological disease, and it’s helped make it a little less scary,” Genova said, “It’s also the book that then gave me permission to be a writer and to pursue a career that will continue to tell stories about people who tend to be ignored, feared and misunderstood for what’s going on inside their brains.”

Making neurological diseases like memory loss less scary was an emphasis for her keynote on campus, Genova said.

“The biggest takeaway I want folks to go home with tonight is that forgetting is a normal part of being human,” Genova said. “When they bump up against these moments in their day to day life, ‘Oh my god, I went to the grocery store to pick up milk, and I bought a bunch of things and I came up with no milk,’ or, ‘Oh my god, what’s wrong with me?’ There’s nothing wrong with you.”

Genova said she wants people to understand the clear distinction between everyday, normal forgetting and what might be something to be concerned about.

Though her keynote focused on, and her initial story pulled from, memory loss illnesses like Alzheimer’s, Genova’s other books dive into other mental conditions.

Her newest book, “More or Less Maddy,” is set to hit bookstores early 2025, and centers around a young woman with bipolar disorder.

“I hope that this book, like all of mine, become(s) a vehicle for open conversation and understanding, and that helps destigmatize and humanize this condition,” Genova said.

News Reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu.

The event hosted an array of speakers that shared information about the prevalence of suicide in the nation, and encouraged the use of proactive measures to reach those in need.

“We know that stigma about mental health is still a major factor in people seeking help for mental health or substance use issues,” Katie Hopper, children’s services director at LifeSkills, said in an email, “ The hope is to start the conversations in the community about suicide prevention and treatment and crisis options that are out there.”

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates increased about 36% from 2000-2022. And in 2022, an estimated 13.2 million adults seriously though about committing suicide, 3.8 million planned a suicide attempt and 1.6 million attempted suicide.

“It’s really, really important that we acknowledge that suicide affects literally everyone, all ages, all races, all beliefs, all backgrounds,” Hopper said at the event.

Sigma Nu’s chapter president, Braden Clough, discussed hazing culture on college campuses and ways campus organizations should make mental health a priority.

Clough encouraged all those in attendance to have serious conversations with those in their lives that are either in college or about to be in college.

According to the University of Central Florida, in 95% of cases where students identified being the target of hazing, they did not report the events to campus officials.

“I encourage you all – I implore you all – start talking about it,” Clough said. “Make it okay. It does happen.”

Clough said that Sigma Nu is committed to being an advocate for positive change.

“Hazing has no place in a college community or anywhere,” Clough said.

Londa Stockton, the child and family center manager at LifeSkills, also emphasized creating an environment for youth to feel comfortable sharing struggles.

Stockton said parents and adults need to ask their youth more than just, “How are you?” Instead, questions should prompt a personal response, getting to the heart of their emotions.

Following the speakers, Bowling Green Mayor Todd Alcott was joined by members of the City Commisioner’s office to read the Suicide Prevention Proclamation.

“We proclaim Warren County Suicide Prevention Month for September 2024,” Alcott told the audience, “In order to raise community awareness about suicide prevention in our nation, September is recognizing Suicide Prevention Month, a time where millions of people join their voices to raise awareness of suicide prevention, treatment and recovery.”

News Reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu.

Speaking for over an hour, Caboni addressed faculty concerns about salaries, the 2024-25 operating budget, accountability for overspending areas such as Athletics and the university’s work to achieve R2 status.

Compensation 

Caboni said several questions directed towards him were about faculty salaries.

Based on the university’s RAMP budget model, financial allocations within the colleges are distributed by the deans with input from department chairs, Caboni said.

“If you feel under-compensated, talk to your department chair,” Caboni said.

Caboni said the Budget Executive Committee is currently deciding how to allocate the 2% salary pool that was approved for this fiscal year. He recognized that “2% a year is not enough” yet said that across-the-board faculty salary increases like this “are not going to address our issues.”

A solution to this, Caboni said, is the implementation of merit-based salary increases.

“Every 2% salary increase costs us about $2.5 million just in salary, not benefits, not retirement, and for us to make a $2.5 million additional investment, we’ve got to find the resources somewhere,” Caboni said.

Caboni asked the senate to think about what they want to accomplish together and said he, the provost and the deans are “ready and willing” to work with faculty to progress the university. 

“I want you to hear from me that I’m committed to you, committed to this place, and I’m proud of the work that we’re doing together,” Caboni said. “I thank you for sometimes your forbearance, for knowing that we’re not going to agree on everything, but for trusting that no one on my team and I never make a decision that we don’t think is in the best interest of the university.”

Budget and overspending

Caboni said the FY 2024-25 budget is “in a good spot,” noting a $4 million increase compared to the previous year’s budget.

“We are up $20 million in our budget in the past four years,” Caboni said. “I know it may not feel like that to you because we’re actually talking about budget realities in a pretty transparent, direct way.”

When asked why departments are being penalized for other units’ overspending habits, Caboni said departments aren’t being penalized for others’ overspending, and those who spend more than their budgets must pay the money back. 

“If you’re over, what’s going to happen?” Caboni asked. “Well, you’re going to have to explain what happened… you’re going to explain what the plan is to fix it, rectify it, and not be over. And number three, you’re going to have to figure out how you’re going to pay that back.”

Caboni said that the university is dedicated to addressing budget concerns in a “transparent” manner. He said that the current budget-making process and the role of the Budget Executive Committee allow this transparency.

At the Staff Senate meeting on September 4, Caboni announced that Athletics, the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences and the department of Enrollment and Student Experience each overspent their fiscal year 2023-24 budget. Athletics presented to the Budget Executive Committee in a closed meeting the same day to address its overspending.

Graduate education and R2 status

Caboni spoke about his desire to see WKU achieve R2 status, which he said would be good for the university’s reputation and help expand research opportunities for students.

“That is a rich recruiting ground for us to both develop talent and identify folks who have the capacity to continue on past a master’s degree,” Caboni said.

Caboni also said college deans control graduate assistantship funds and have the “flexibility to grow the number of dollars there,” noting the need to “be intentional” and plan for grant-funded work.

“There are dollars available, we just have to be intentional about maximizing the opportunities,” Caboni said.

Also at the senate’s meeting, Caboni:

• Said there will not be an additional round of the Voluntary Separation Incentive Plan in January, and he told faculty to “not pass this one up” if eligible.
• Emphasized that the university’s healthcare plan “is competitive,” noting that the WKU has not increased faculty contributions to health insurance for five years.
• Addressed his presentation to the Interim Joint Committee on Education on Sept. 17 on the university’s ONE WKU program and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Content Editor Ali Costellow can be reached at ali.costellow453@topper.wku.edu.

News Reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@wku.edu. 

But according to reports the College Heights Herald obtained from the Foundation in a records request this summer, structural engineers and an architect hired to investigate the problems found significant design and construction flaws in both structural and exterior elements of Hilltopper Hall.

The reports consistently cite not meeting state building codes and an “inferior quality workmanship” that led to significant strain on the building’s structural components and failure in supporting its exterior veneer.

Tad Pardue, the attorney for the Foundation, said in an interview on Aug. 28 that the Foundation is currently working to create a plan for redesigning and repairing the building.

Pardue said the cost of repairs is still unknown, but repairs on both the outside facade and structural elements inside the building are going to take a “significant amount of time.”

The timeline

Work to build Hilltopper Hall began in January 2017 across the top of an area of campus known as The Valley, with an estimated completion date of June 2018, according to a plan application form submitted to Kentucky’s Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction on Feb. 10, 2017.

According to the form, the engineer and firm for the project was Donald Stoneburg of the Bowling Green-based firm S.E. Engineering. The architect of record was Nick Sewell of Bowling Green-based Sewell & Sewell Architect – which also, according to its website, worked on both Normal and Regents halls and the WKU Apartments on Kentucky Street.

Hilltopper Hall’s project contractor was Scott, Murphy & Daniel of Bowling Green. Pardue said he does not know who Scott, Murphy & Daniel hired as subcontractors – those who assembled the steel frame or laid the masonry.

Pardue told the Herald that issues with the stone and brick veneer were first noticed on the west corner of the south stairwell in August 2023.

In an email to faculty and staff in October 2023, the Foundation’s executive director, Catherine LaRoche, who also is WKU’s assistant vice president for Housing and Residence Life, said that during repairs on the “decorative stonework,” engineers identified other components that required further investigation, but the initial assessments showed no concerns with the building’s framework or structural integrity.

According to his veneer assessment report, Larry Schwering Architect, PPLC, was asked to visit Hilltopper Hall by Jackson Kelly, PLLC, in October 2023 to examine the property – specifically the south stair tower that saw noticeable veneer displacements.

Schwering said in the report that Brown+Kubican Structural Engineers (B+K) and Rick Hawkins of Hawkins Construction were also brought on by the Foundation to examine the building during fall 2023.

WKU administration maintained that Hilltopper Hall issues were primarily exterior. In a meeting with the Herald on January 10, 2024, WKU President Timothy Caboni briefly mentioned construction surrounding Hilltopper Hall, noting the shift in the masonry and the work being done to remedy it. However, he said it would not impact the daily lives of the hall’s residents.

Eight days later, on Jan. 18, 2024, LaRoche sent an email to all 388 Hilltopper Hall residents, informing them that the Foundation’s board of directors had concluded that, based on professional recommendations following investigations and assessments of the building, Hilltopper Hall would be closed. The following day, at a Board of Regents meeting, Caboni said safety concerns from experts assessing the building prompted the decision.

Students were given a deadline of Feb. 4 – 17 days after the announcement – to move out of Hilltopper Hall and into either a different campus residence hall, with an additional $1,000 in housing credit for that semester, or to move off campus with no housing credits but with that semester’s housing charge for living in Hilltopper Hall refunded on their spring bill. Students were given three days to make their choice.

Following the students’ departure from the building, there had been no further public announcements about the status of Hilltopper Hall, other than it would not open for the fall 2024 semester.

Through a request under the Kentucky Open Records Act to the Foundation on May 28, 2024, the Herald received documents that included reports from B+K and a report from Schwering that also included the building’s plan application form and a 2017 inspection report.

The Schwering and B+K reports noted poor workmanship in the construction of Hilltopper Hall, failure to follow state building codes and structural design errors that could potentially result in the six-story building swaying as much as 19 inches in high winds, according to the B+K analysis.

The structural findings

According to B+K’s report submitted on Jan. 19, 2024, Hilltopper Hall’s design was required to comply with the 2013 Kentucky Building Code – which is the 2012 International Building Code with Kentucky amendments.

“When subjected to the code-mandated load cases and various load combinations, many of the structural steel elements (beams and columns) fail to have the required strength,” B+K’s report said.

B+K found, through using their own software and the software used by the original structural engineer on record (Framework 2D + 3D, a proprietary and free application developed by G.M. Wolsink of the Netherlands), that the calculated stress of a structural element is greater than the allowable stress for that element’s strength.

In other words, the amount of force acting on various structural elements, compared to the amount of area it covers, was higher than what was allowable for the element’s performance.

“Based on these analysis results, combined with the excessively large calculated story drifts and the unpredictable nature of extreme wind and seismic events, it is our recommendation to discontinue occupancy of Hilltopper Hall until corrective action has been implemented and completed,” B+K’s report said.

B+K declined to elaborate on its report.

A significant concern that B+K found was excessive story drift, or the amount of sway a building has the higher it rises.

According to the analysis, Hilltopper Hall’s calculated story drift exceeded what was allowable by code by 600-900%. Near the ends of the building, the calculated drift was greater than what was allowed by as much as 1300%.

Sebastian Bryson, chair of the University of Kentucky’s department of civil engineering, said in an email on Monday that excessive story drift may lead to not only the facade falling off and damage to windows and doors, but also to structural damage on the upper floors.

B+K stated in the report that it is their opinion the excessive story drift is due to the steel framing design.

“At nearly all frames that are parallel to the building width, front to back, the four steel columns do not align,” the report said. “The frames would perform far better if the columns along the front and rear walls of the building were in line with the columns in the corridor walls.”

The report also found issues with the structural connections, stating that some “are not sufficient to resist the forces they are subject to when (Kentucky Building Code) mandated load combinations are applied.”

“Some of this issue with the connections is exacerbated by the excessive movements expected in strong winds,” Bryson said, “And some of this issue becomes a concern just by the floor loads being transferred to the columns.”

Bryson said that although the report did not indicate immediate concern of failure at the connections, it was implied that the connections are problematic given the calculated stresses exceeded the allowable stresses for the structural elements.

B+K said other aspects of the structure, like ways to control the masonry expansion and contraction during weather changes, should have been included in the drawings and installed, but were not.

“In summary, the observations listed in (the report) seem to indicate that there were multiple errors made during the design process, starting with the choice and use of the structural design software,” Bryson said.

The exterior findings

On April 7, 2024, Schwering, the architect hired by the Foundation to investigate the problems, submitted a detailed analysis of the exterior veneer of Hilltopper Hall. That analysis pointed to inferior workmanship, failure to meet code and improper repairs.

In the report, he stated, “There exist areas where the minimum requirements of the (Kentucky Building Code) have not been met and areas where industry standards have not been followed.”

Schwering said in the report he had made site visits, selective demolition and investigations at Hilltopper Hall in November of 2023 and in February and March of 2024.

Schwering said his multiple investigations found repeating issues: a lack of continuous insulation and a lack of code-required air space behind the veneer. And in some areas, the report said, rust had already begun to form because of poor drainage.

Another common error that Schwering highlighted in the report was incorrect masonry anchorage – which, according to Schwering’s report, is a metal device used to secure masonry to a substrate.

The report states that there were only two types of masonry anchor ties submitted and on-site, and Schwering said that he was under the impression  that “neither of the specified products meets the requirements of the (Kentucky Building Code).”

Alongside issues of anchorage, other problems surrounding the quality of workmanship were noticed:

• Outward sloping under windows.
• Failure to follow shop drawings.
• “Poor execution of masonry construction.”
• “Improper repairs.”

In concluding the report, Schwering recommended the Foundation remove all cast-stone products from the building.

Pardue acknowledged in his interview with the Herald that removing and replacing the veneer may be something the Foundation is “forced to consider” in the design and repair of Hilltopper Hall.

“I think it’ll take the construction manager sitting down with the engineers and determining that,” Pardue said. “It’s just been conversations, but I think there will be alternatives to fixing it, and if I had to guess, that might be one of the alternatives; it might involve stripping off the veneer and rebuilding it back up.”

What’s next?

Even with the amount of errors found in the building, Pardue said Hilltopper Hall is salvageable and the Foundation’s board of directors is currently working with B+K and Schwering, who agreed to stay on the project, to come up with plans for repair.

“There was never any shred of doubt in the engineers’ minds that, oh yeah, it can be fixed,” Pardue said.

The reason for a lack of news regarding the building, Pardue said, is because the Foundation is currently in the process of interviewing new construction managers for the building’s repair.

Pardue said the Foundation has been in contact with lawyers for the firms and individuals involved, and instead of being caught up in court for a prolonged period, they are looking to work towards a “resolution.”

“What the lawyers are focused on legally is just trying to identify, is there someone, a third party, that is responsible,” Pardue said. “And if so, what’s the best way to approach them and maybe reach some sort of compromise resolution?”

Pardue also said the Foundation is currently trying to find out who completed the periodic building inspections during construction and when those inspections were done.

News Reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu.

If you would like to submit a reaction to this piece, a letter to the editor or other submission, please send it to Editor-in-Chief Price Wilborn at wkuheraldeic@gmail.com. 

The Kentucky Attorney General’s Office ruled the WKU Board of Regents did not violate the Open Meetings Act when holding preliminary meetings to discuss the budget, but it did rule that the Board violated the Act when it failed to respond to the Herald’s complaint.

On July 31, the Herald’s legal counsel submitted a complaint to the Board, accusing it of violating the Open Meetings Act when it held a series of “workshops” on June 3 and 4.

The Attorney General’s Office noted a lack of evidence in the Board’s intent to circumvent the act, leading it to rule in favor of the Board.

“When evidence of the members’ intent is lacking, the Office has acknowledged its inability to conclusively determine that the public agency violated KRS 61.810(2),” the Attorney General’s decision said.

The decision stated the Herald had not demonstrated that the meetings were held “for the purpose” of avoiding the Act or that the meetings were not held “to educate the members on specific issues.”

However, the Office did find the Board in violation of the Act when it failed to respond to the Herald’s complaint within three business days, as required in KRS 61.846(1).

“The Board does not deny that it failed to respond to the Appellant’s complaint concerning the April 8, 2024, meeting,” the decision said. “Thus, the Board violated the Act.”

According to the decision, the Board explained that it does not monitor its official email and the complaint should have been directed to WKU’s general counsel or outside counsel. But, under KRS 61.846(2), a complainant must “submit a written complaint to the presiding officer of the public agency suspected of” violating the Act.

“Presumably, neither WKU’s general counsel nor outside counsel is the presiding officer of the Board,” the decision said. “Thus, under the Act, the Appellant was not permitted to initiate its complaint by directing it to WKU’s general counsel or outside counsel.”

“We are pleased that the Attorney General’s office supported the university’s position that the informational budget workshops did not violate the Kentucky Open Meetings Act. As we have explained, those voluntary workshops served to deepen our board’s understanding of a complex, multimillion dollar budget prior to voting on the budget meeting in June,” WKU spokesperson Jace Lux said in an email to the Herald. “The opinion issued by the Attorney General’s Office confirms that neither the board nor the university officials acted inappropriately.”

“As noted in WKU’s response, the complaint was emailed to a regent inbox that is not monitored regularly, and thus the failure to respond within three days was unintentional,” Lux continued. “After receiving notification through other channels that a complaint had been filed several times due to a typo in an email address on the part of the Herald’s legal counsel, the university prepared and submitted a timely response.”

Any party unsatisfied with the decision may appeal in the appropriate circuit court.

News Reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu.

Vendors ranging from churches to city agencies to local businesses offering free gear, giveaways and food to members of the WKU community through Welcome Back WKU, an annual event WKU hosts with the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce.

The event is a chance for students to not only find free swag but also an opportunity to meet local groups to develop connections, find jobs and invest in the community.

“This is the definition of ‘welcome,’” Brad Wiggins, a senior psychology major, said.

As a student who has attended every Welcome Back WKU event since he became a Hilltopper, Wiggins said the event is a great opportunity for students to get involved in their university and community.

“This is an opportunity for people who are new to come check out some new clubs or churches or whatever is here,” Wiggins said.

The vendors utilize Welcome Back WKU as a way to invest in students who may be able to work with them in the future.

Attending the event, Erin Lightfoot and Jarrod Shive of Community Education of Bowling Green and Warren County said that their time investment at Welcome Back WKU yields a return: staff.

Community Education of Bowling Green and Warren County offers volunteering opportunities and training for adults to go to schools to work with children and assist in various events.

WKU students who work with Community Education are known as Youth Development Leaders, Lightfoot said. Student employees will work in the after-school programs to take care of children whose parents work late and do not want their children home alone. Student workers play with these kids and are trained to keep them safe during after-school hours.

“(WKU students) make up the majority of our staff base,” Shive said. “So this (event) is obviously a good avenue to tap into that.”

News Reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu.