The Northwestern Student Government Association has incorporated new events to the school year in response to the students’ pleas, but the organization still receives lack of participation.
This week we teamed up with the SGA here on campus in response to the ‘80s Dance mishap on Feb. 23.
The dance was one of many new events here on campus that SGA is hosting this semester, and despite all the hype by the officers throughout the weeks leading into the event, it received a dismal turnout from the student population.
“We bounced around a few ideas…maybe with it being on a Tuesday night and how we had to move it from Percefull Fieldhouse to the small gym, we think that’s why we didn’t get the turnout we were expecting,” said Kaylyn Hansen, Northwestern Director of Student Life and Counseling.
Student government president Kaitlyn O’Toole said, “In all the events I have ever seen hosted or put on around campus I have never seen an event go over as poorly as the ‘80s Dance. We were really hoping to reach all crowds with this event, but sadly no groups were reached.”
The dance was the first event this school year that the student involvement has been substantially low; however, it has not been the only time over the years that the student life events have seen low numbers.
After looking through Northwestern yearbooks from the 1970s and 80s, we as a staff noticed how lively and exciting the students and student events were. Then today the SGA officers plan events that they think will have that same level of enthusiasm from the students that the past events once showed, but they fall utterly short. So what happened?
The answer might not be as simple as just an economic issue or a geographical location like one might think. Maybe it involves the students and their lack of passion for getting involved.
“We don’t quite know why they [students] don’t want to be out, involved and engaged in the activities we provided,” said Calleb Mosburg, Dean of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.
The SGA hears the cries from the student body, and they work to provide the events that the students ask for. For example, the next event on the SGA calendar is the Lip Sync Battle.
The Lip Sync Battle idea came from the students’ pleas for the past several years. The SGA has taken input from the students, as well as insight from various TV shows to develop what the students might find enjoyable.
“This event will be something that’s not just enjoyable to watch, but to participate in as well,” O’Toole said.
Before the Lip Sync Battle can become a reality on March 7, the SGA needs more students to sign up. “We have two groups signed up right now, but in order to have the event we need at least three or four more groups to sign up,” Hansen said.
If the event does get dropped, then it would be the second event in a row that SGA has swung and missed on. It is not because they haven’t tried to get the word out, because Hansen has sent out emails and fliers have been posted.
Instead it would be because of the students and their unwillingness to step away from the normal everyday chaos called life and cut lose for a night of fun and entertainment.
“These events that are put on around campus and even around town are meant for you guys,” O’Toole said. “You don’t have to go to every event, but it does show a great deal of respect to the people that host these events when you make an attempt to appreciate what they’ve done for us; even if you only go for a short amount of time.”