Task Force Recommendation for VEISHEA

[00clone]

old reliable. let's put in a cherry pie reference.

Here...we'll take away VEISHEA, but we'll give you this in return:

[video=youtube;ZFtD1DMal3o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFtD1DMal3o[/video]

 

[jbhtexas]

The lack of student participation or interest in VEISHEA activities was an issue I expected the task force to investigate. For example, the parade is a joke compared to what it used to be. No floats anymore, as no one wants to put in the work. Just "parade entries" consisting of groups marching behind a banner. VEISHEA used to have hundreds, maybe thousands of students directly involved. Now just a fraction of that. I expected the task force to recognize this change and try to solve it, but they did not.

Society has changed drastically in the past 20 years. Back then, students didn't have easy access to the Internet and its assorted goodies (such a Facebook, YouTube, streaming of various types, online gaming, etc), xBox, Play Station, cell phones, cable/satellite TV available to most every student. Now getting involved in things such as VEISHEA has to compete with those other things, and those other things require much less effort. This problem isn't limited to VEISHEA at ISU. What you observe about VEISHEA doesn't surprise me at all.

The solution to the problem starts well before the students get to college. Getting a person to understand the importance of civic involvement in activities such as VEISHEA needs to start well before the kids get to college. And I'm not saying that the university can't do a better job in trying to get students to put the xBox down and get involved in bigger causes, but that job is much harder now than it used to be. Years ago, there really wasn't that much to do at college outside of studying, so campus organizations filled that void. Now, with all the things I mentioned above, there are plenty of things to do right from the dorm room / apartment. Given today's culture, I'm not really even sure the university can change it.

 

[CYKOFAN]

Just as an observer that could care less either way (never went to VEISHEA as a student or alum), it seems to me that a lot of non-students and non-Ames people wind up there at some time during the week, no doubt spending some money. Surely VEISHEA had some sort of positive economic impact on the Ames community.

Motels, restaurants, bars, and retailers of ISU gear would especially benefit. And ISU enrollment is now the highest in the state, and who knows how much of that could be due to prospective students coming to Veishea, getting acquainted with the beautiful campus and finding out about the many career opportunities, clubs, etc. ISU has to offer to students. And yes even the partying part of Veishea may help bring students to ISU. Some seem to think that we should end it for a few years, then bring it back. But would the people that took the easy road and got rid of it take the time and effort to find solutions and bring it back?

 

[tm3308]

Society has changed drastically in the past 20 years. Back then, students didn't have easy access to the Internet and its assorted goodies (such a Facebook, YouTube, streaming of various types, online gaming, etc), xBox, Play Station, cell phones, cable/satellite TV available to most every student. Now getting involved in things such as VEISHEA has to compete with those other things, and those other things require much less effort. This problem isn't limited to VEISHEA at ISU. What you observe about VEISHEA doesn't surprise me at all.

The solution to the problem starts well before the students get to college. Getting a person to understand the importance of civic involvement in activities such a VEISHEA needs to start well before the kids get to college. And I'm not saying that the university can't do a better job in trying to get students to put the xBox down and get involved in bigger causes, but that job is much harder now than it used to be. Years ago, there really wasn't that much to do at college outside of studying, so campus organizations filled that void. Now, with all the things I mentioned above, there are plenty of things to do right from the dorm room / apartment. Given today's culture, I'm not really even sure the university can change it.

This hits the nail on the head, at least on the topic of declining student involvement.

 

[aeroclone]

Society has changed drastically in the past 20 years. Back then, students didn't have easy access to the Internet and its assorted goodies (such a Facebook, YouTube, streaming of various types, online gaming, etc), xBox, Play Station, cell phones, cable/satellite TV available to most every student. Now getting involved in things such as VEISHEA has to compete with those other things, and those other things require much less effort. This problem isn't limited to VEISHEA at ISU. What you observe about VEISHEA doesn't surprise me at all.

The solution to the problem starts well before the students get to college. Getting a person to understand the importance of civic involvement in activities such as VEISHEA needs to start well before the kids get to college. And I'm not saying that the university can't do a better job in trying to get students to put the xBox down and get involved in bigger causes, but that job is much harder now than it used to be. Years ago, there really wasn't that much to do at college outside of studying, so campus organizations filled that void. Now, with all the things I mentioned above, there are plenty of things to do right from the dorm room / apartment. Given today's culture, I'm not really even sure the university can change it.

Some valid points, though sadly the Playstation actually has been around for 20 years, launched in 1994 in Japan and 95 here. I'm going to go feel old now.

 

[tm3308]

Some valid points, though sadly the Playstation actually has been around for 20 years, launched in 1994 in Japan and 95 here. I'm going to go feel old now.

And I've owned each generation. Yeah, I feel old, too.

 

[CycloneErik]

It's always easy to blame declining student involvement on modern generations or new toys that they have, but that's been developing for decades.
It's much more likely that people are romanticizing their own memories of the past to argue that VEISHEA was once something better when the likelihood is that they're exaggerating the number of participants.

 

[Tornado man]

It's much more likely that people are romanticizing their own memories of the past to argue that VEISHEA was once something better when the likelihood is that they're exaggerating the number of participants.

That's a pretty big statement. When did you attend ISU? I assume it was back in the early 80's, like me, so it would qualify you to compare Veishea participation first-hand as I have...

 

[CycloneErik]

That's a pretty big statement. When did you attend ISU? I assume it was back in the early 80's, like me, so it would qualify you to compare Veishea participation first-hand as I have...

91-95. At least at that time or now, I've never heard anyone mention participating.

But now you'll do the personal memory thing, which is quite likely romanticized about student participation, because we remember things the way we want to.

 

[Tornado man]

91-95. At least at that time or now, I've never heard anyone mention participating.

But now you'll do the personal memory thing, which is quite likely romanticized about student participation, because we remember things the way we want to.

Anyone with a qualified perspective can tell the difference. Were you "involved" while at ISU, or were you an off-campus student who just went to class? Just curious, because as a greek, we were all expected to work for hours upon hours on our float. Now my frat doesn't build any floats any more. Hardly any frats do. Even dorm floors back then had floats in the parade.
We also had an open house with displays, for middle or high school kids, with their parents, to attend, to get a taste of greek life. That also called for a lot of cleaning and organizing. No one does that anymore either.
I was a journalism major, and we had displays and a departmental open house that weekend.
As I mentioned a few days ago, lots of us had no "time" to gather along Welch Ave. the week of Veishea. We were too busy.

 

[CycloneErik]

Anyone with a qualified perspective can tell the difference. Were you "involved" while at ISU, or were you an off-campus student who just went to class? Just curious, because as a greek, we were all expected to work for hours upon hours on our float. Now my frat doesn't build any floats any more. Hardly any frats do. Even dorm floors back then had floats in the parade.
We also had an open house with displays, for middle or high school kids, with their parents, to attend, to get a taste of greek life. That also called for a lot of cleaning and organizing. No one does that anymore either. I was a
journalism major, and we had displays and a departmental open house that weekend. Not anymore.
As I mentioned a few days ago, lots of us had no "time" to gather along Welch Ave. the week of Veishea. We were too busy.

Off-campus guy who went to class.
Greeks would be a different culture. If anyone were building floats now, that's who would be doing it.

Still, some kind of hard data would make the case better than saying dorm floors/houses, since the odds are high that it's not everyone, or even most people, on the floor building those things.

 

[Tornado man]

Off-campus guy who went to class.
Greeks would be a different culture. If anyone were building floats now, that's who would be doing it.

Still, some kind of hard data would make the case better than saying dorm floors/houses, since the odds are high that it's not everyone, or even most people, on the floor building those things.

Just have to point out that Veishea was not just fraternities and sororities in my days at ISU (79-83); residence halls were very involved. Yes, that has all changed.

 

[CycloneErik]

Just have to point out that Veishea was not just fraternities and sororities in my days at ISU (79-83); residence halls were very involved. Yes, that has all changed.

I read and responded to that...

 

[CyDude16]

Point being, even the best year of VEISHEA the last 20 or so years, probably had more trouble/arrests/vandalism/etc - than the first 20, 30 maybe even 40.

The culture has done a 180 regarding this event.

and so have football games, let's get rid of tailgating and the fball games too!

 

[CycloneErik]

and so have football games, let's get rid of tailgating and the fball games too!

Let's see how the season starts before we open that can of worms.

 

[Angie]

Janny is pretty entertaining. I take most of his post as the onion or daily show esque.

I think you're doing it right.

 

[RubyClone]

and so have football games, let's get rid of tailgating and the fball games too!

Really? When was the last time we had to tear-gas a football tailgate? Or a car was overturned?

What did you "participate" in - during VEISHEA?

 

[RayShimley]

This has probably already been covered, I didn't read through every page of the thread, but the biggest loss to me is the fundraising/outreach/publicity opportunities for student groups. I know the group I was involved in during my time at ISU made almost all of their non-dues money during VEISHEA and also did a lot of education/outreach with the public during this week (mostly on Saturday). Hopefully they come up with some replacement for this in terms of open houses for departments/student groups.

 

[CYKOFAN]

Anyone with a qualified perspective can tell the difference. Were you "involved" while at ISU, or were you an off-campus student who just went to class? Just curious, because as a greek, we were all expected to work for hours upon hours on our float. Now my frat doesn't build any floats any more. Hardly any frats do. Even dorm floors back then had floats in the parade.
We also had an open house with displays, for middle or high school kids, with their parents, to attend, to get a taste of greek life. That also called for a lot of cleaning and organizing. No one does that anymore either.
I was a journalism major, and we had displays and a departmental open house that weekend.
As I mentioned a few days ago, lots of us had no "time" to gather along Welch Ave. the week of Veishea. We were too busy.

I was at ISU from 69-72 and the fraternity would be teamed up with a sorority to build a float for the parade, which was a big deal back then. Veishea week also culminated with the spring football game, and seemed like it did for decades and not sure when that ended. Sure a lot of us have great memories of Veishea week with good reason.

 

[ISUCyclones2015]

Back in the day it was better to do the parade and stuff because it was in the middle of May. The Semester System ruined VEISHEA sorta- It definitely didn't help it.