By Julia Mericle
Staff Writer
With Spring Weekend just a few weeks away, planning for the event among university faculty and student groups is charging forward.
The festivities will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 25 and continue through Saturday, April 26.
Nichole Gonzalez, executive director of residential living, encouraged students to remember the meaning of Spring Weekend is to offer students a chance to relax and enjoy themselves before finals week. Gonzalez noted that the Campus Activities Board (CAB) plans activities for students to have fun and also be safe.
“Unfortunately, some people use it as a time to go crazy and engage in some really risky behavior,” Gonzalez said.
Regarding these concerns, Gonzalez stated all of the policies from past years remain the same for the upcoming Spring Weekend.
“The event itself has always been dry. Just because of the nature of our policies, having alcohol in a public area on campus whether or not you are 21 is a violation,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez also described how social media will also assist the entertainment during Spring Weekend. CAB is planning a Twitter contest, similar to a scavenger hunt, where students take pictures according to the instructions. Gonzalez said the contest was attempted last year, but was not promoted early enough to catch on.
Abby Cohen, associate director of intramurals, club sports and student engagement, said student favorites, like the annual kickball tournament and inflatable obstacle courses and slides will make their return. Other attractions include a caricaturist and photo booth.
According to Cohen, several clubs have expressed an interest in becoming more involved with Spring Weekend activities, whereas in the past the event was mostly focused on CAB. The Latin American Student Organization (LASO) plans to provide face painting and the step team hopes to perform on Saturday.
WSBU FM 88.3, The Buzz is preparing to kick off the music side of the event and will feature guest DJs throughout the weekend. A local DJ is scheduled to provide karaoke, giving any students who wish to take the stage themselves an opportunity.
CAB is also looking into performances to keep the music going during the event. Their plans are not solidified, but students can follow @SBUCAB on Twitter for updated information.
CAB faced challenges in planning this year due to a reduced budget.
“The past few years the incoming classes have had lower enrollments, which result in less people paying the Student Activity Fee,” Cohen said, “This means that SGA has less money to give out to clubs and organizations.”
Those in charge of organizing the event still believe it will be a success among students.
“The board is working tirelessly to make Spring Weekend both fun and memorable for students despite extreme budget cuts,” said Jasmine Foster, a sophomore journalism and mass communication major and member of CAB.
Regarding food, the Hickey Dining Hall will be closed on Friday past 4 p.m. and Saturday. Students may use their swipes or cash to purchase a meal bracelet. The bracelet gives students access to unlimited food, featuring carnival foods such as fried dough and nachos, which will be served outside on the basketball courts between the Sandra A. and William L. Richter Center and the Reilly Center.
“You can never go wrong with carnival foods,” said freshman journalism and mass communication major Ryan Horan.
To accommodate more students, a greater variety of vegetarian options will be provided.
After a long winter, students hope for good weather during this year’s Spring Weekend.
“Last year was great because of the weather,” said sophomore accounting major Joshua Lewis. “I think that is what made it so nice, so hopefully we will get some lovely weather this year.”
Sebastian Bellm, a sophomore accounting and finance major, said he loves Spring Weekend because of how the community comes together for a good time.
“I love Spring Weekend because everyone is in a great mood,”Bellm said. “Everyone is friends on Spring Weekend.”
