A Halloween costume contest and sections of residence halls strictly for Greek organization members are ideas that Student Government could be serving up very soon.
The bill, proposed at a Student Government meeting on Oct. 13, detailed plans for a Halloween contest. In the abstract of the bill, the contest is set to take place from 5-7 p.m. on Oct. 26 in One Main Cafe.
Student Government’s goal for the contest is to foster a stronger sense of “CapFam” during Halloween festivities.
Many people leave campus around this time to go to parties and events elsewhere. The contest aims to engage students that end up staying on campus and potentially attract and retain those who typically leave.
While boosting student engagement on campus, the senators behind the bill are also using it as a strategy to raise awareness of the power that Student Government has and the role it can play.
“Student government is helping to sponsor this event, which showcases to the general student body what Student Government is able to accomplish in our campus,” Senator Taylor Iske, junior, said.
The Student Life Committee of the Senate that drove the creation of the bill is made up of Senator Iske; Senator Adam Scherman, junior; and Senator Thomas Hamrick, senior.
The budget for the contest is estimated to be around $100, which will go toward decorations, a trophy for the winner, and a $25 gift card.
The bill received a unanimous vote from the Senate.
That same evening, the Student Life Committee proposed a resolution to reinstate Greek halls in dormitories.
Not too long ago, the dorms had sections that were reserved for the various Greek organizations.
The Student Life Committee believes that by bringing back this housing option, it will help further build a sense of togetherness between members of a Greek organization.
They also see it as a way for second-year students to live close with fellow members, considering they may not meet all the requirements to live in the neighborhood housing.
The committee played around with the idea of creating official Greek housing in the local neighborhood, but felt that it would put a target on their backs.
This comes during a time when quite a few fraternity houses are being cracked down on, especially in places such as Ohio University.
“Greek halls would probably be best, especially for the underclassmen that can’t even get off campus,” Senator Scherman said.
A counterpoint brought up during the meeting was that Greek halls could potentially put other students at a disadvantage during housing selection because rooms might be automatically unavailable.
Despite this, the resolution was passed by the Senate.
