Planning for next fall’s homecoming is already under way, with the committee holding its first meeting tonight at 6 p.m. in the Senate Chambers.
The meeting, which is open to all who are interested, will be a brainstorming meeting for students to join the various subcommittees and come up with ideas each subcommittee would hope to achieve had there not been any budgetary restrictions.
“We are definitely going to vote and come up with the theme for the fall,” Josh Sherrod, Homecoming Committee chair, said.
Sherrod, a junior in microbiology, said the committee chairs, who are all alumni ambassadors as per requirement, have ideas written down that they will bring to the meeting planning the week-long events.
Adam Compton, the publicity subcommittee chair, said the committee is hoping to organize different events to cheer on the team and new coach, including a parade and spirit contest.
Compton, a junior in agricultural business management, said the committee has new ideas, which it hasn’t implemented in the past.
“We want to get more involvement at the start of the planning,” he said. “We’re planning to really publicize the meetings and have different promotional programs, depending on the budget.”
Anna Patton, co-chair of the parade, said her subcommittee hopes to make improvements.
“The feedback we got last year was it ended after dark,” she said.
Patton said another major goal is to get more support and backing from organizations, as well as increase student involvement.
According to Sherrod, among the events planned are the kickoff before the football game; the wear red, get fed program; the parade and several service projects, including a blood drive.
“I just hope that everybody gets involved and we get more attendance at events,” he said. “Last year, the biggest fallback was that we had low attendance.”
Sherrod said the budget will be figured out over the summer, with the help of Compton, previous student body treasurer.
“[Money] comes from all sorts of donors,” he said.
In the past, University Athletics, the Alumni Association, Housing and Dining have supported the effort.
Compton said this year, the Student Senate passed a resolution allocating $6,000 from Student Government for Homecoming in the fall.
