Keeping Up with the Council: First Meeting and a Look at the Horizon

For the first meeting of the school year, the Council met to discuss Fall Retreat and provide updates on what is in store for the semester.

The meeting began with a prayer from Director of Spiritual Life Carter Fletcher and turned to Housing Director Michelle Lambdin to pre-brief the Council on the upcoming Drama Competition. This year, Drama Comp will follow the same basic rubric and rules as it has in the past. The only important change is that the competition is not following the Interregnum theme of Compassion. Instead, it will coincide with the Fall Retreat theme, The Gospel. Lambdin told House presidents there will be three judges and their performances must be six minutes or less to avoid point deductions.

Student Body President Michael Martinez shifted gears to talk about the House Retreat Funds Procedure. This procedure allows Houses to receive $500 for a “day away” activity or $1,000 for an overnight retreat, as long as it takes place before October 30. To apply, Houses must submit their retreat budget and an approved outline of activities.

Director of Student Organizations Nick Beckman announced that Student Org budgets are set and ready to go. The average budget cut was 53% from the organizations’ original ask. Beckman reminded the Council that it is a cut year and quoted what SBP Michael Martinez said in the Budget Committee Meeting, “Innovation happens in the cut years, that’s when you have to be creative with what you have.”

Director of Spiritual Life Carter Fletcher spoke about his excitement for the public reading of Scripture and the high attendance at the year’s first Refuge. The first public reading of Scripture on Monday August 28 brought in 187 students. Food will be provided every week at this event and the next one is on September 11.

The Council then began their SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) pre-brief for Fall Retreat with help from the former Council’s notes on the event. The dance party is always a hit and will feature rapping from Marques Martin and DJing from Caleb Trouwborst. SBP Martinez made it clear that there will be a staunch commitment to clean lyrics this year, but it will “still be just as fun.” Also, the Cabinet notified everyone that there will be absolutely no smoking allowed at Iroquois Springs this year.

The Council admitted that the “pseudo” Fall Retreat theme is the movie Shrek and that all buses will be named after a character from Shrek. The official hashtag for the event is #LetsGetMoosey, and the Council will give out a prize to the best Instagram photo posted with the hashtag.

The Council is expecting roughly 450 students to attend Fall Retreat, with 364 students already signed up as of Tuesday, August 29. Tickets are $75 until September 1, when prices rise to $85. SBP Martinez said the event will be a great time to “edify one another, build each other up and enjoy s’mores.”

The Council debriefed Statesmanship and New Student Orientation, providing feedback and suggestions for next year’s Council. Overall, the House Presidents were happy with the schedule of the events, but would like to see some of the content change in following years. What House Presidents referred to as “Goals Day” was not a hit for their exec teams.

Reagan President Phillip Reeves closed with a prayer, and the meeting was adjourned at 9:08pm.

 

Meeting Highlights:

Fall Retreat

  • 364 students registered for Fall Retreat so far, 450 expected
    • Tickets are $75 until September 1 when they become $85
  • Use #LetsGetMoosey on Instagram and Twitter
    • The Council will give out a prize to the best photo posted with the hashtag
    • No smoking allowed this year 

Drama Competition

  • Under theme of The Gospel
    • Not the Interregnum theme of Compassion
    • Performances must be six minutes or less

House Retreat Funds Procedure

  • Houses can receive from the Council:
    • $500 for a day-away activity
    • $1,000 for an overnight retreat

DoSO Nick Beckman

  • Student Org budgets are ready
    • Average cut = 53% from Org leaders’ original ask

DoC Elle Rogers

  • Communication Strategies Workshop
    • Thursday Sept 28 @ 6pm

DoSL Carter Fletcher

  • Prayer groups
    • Contact Carter Fletcher if you would like to join/start a group
  • Public Reading of Scripture
    • 187 students at first event on August 28
    • Next one is on September 11
    • Food provided every week
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