Earlier this semester, the success coaches announced that they will no longer display promotions for any organization’s events outside of their offices. Additionally, they are encouraging student organizations to hold off on events Sunday through Wednesday.

Success Coach Whitney Diedrich said, “We only promote the events that (the success coaches organize) out of our office. The reason we do not promote events Sunday through Wednesday is because we want to encourage students to consider their studies during the first half of the week.”

According to Diedrich, the anticipated benefits of this decision include greater event attendance and interest in weekend activities and more favorable academic performance among students.

When asked if students have expressed dissatisfaction with the changes, Diedrich said, “It is hard to say because no one has come in and said, ‘Why don’t you promote our events?’”

Eric Blacknall, associate vice president for student success and dean of students, declined to comment on these changes.

Jessica Luecke, junior accounting major, said the positive side of the situation is the presence of the Student Activities Foundation Board, which she feels will give “students more privileges to do what they want (in terms of event planning and promotion).”

“I don’t know if students know how much (of a) voice they can have (through the Foundation),” Luecke said.

Diedrich also encourages students to approach the Foundation.

They can get their own funding,” Diedrich said. “They can do their own thing.”

When asked if the Foundation Board would approve funding for events held during the week, Diedrich said, “I cannot say what the Foundation Board would or would not approve because it’s up to them, but (the Foundation Board) has approved (non-weekend) events before.”

Diedrich emphasized that students wanting to hold events Sunday through Wednesday must now do their own promotion to get students interested, adding that it will be “a good opportunity for students to learn from that experience.”

For more information on the Student Activities Foundation Board, read this article published by the Mirror last year: https://lakelandmirror.com/news/2015/event-funding-requires-new-process/