The theme of this year’s Campus Day will be “The Last GreatRake,” a suitable title for the end of a tradition.

“There’s nothing wrong with raking,” said senior Cory George,the student body president. “People just wanted to do more thanthat, so we’re using this year to transition to a new style ofCampus Day.”

George and senior Abby Smith, the student body vice president,are in charge of coordinating the event this year. Last year thetwo served on a committee that evaluated Campus Day to see whatstudents, faculty and staff wanted the day to be, and how it couldbe changed to better meet their wishes.

Several of the committee’s other suggestions are beingimplemented this year, but raking will remain the focus of CampusDay for one more year.

“We hadn’t informed the [Indianola] community yet that we mightbe changing Campus Day,” said Smith. “It would be bad publicrelations if we didn’t go rake their yards and they were expectingus to.”

One of the most noticeable changes is setting a definite datefor Campus Day. It will be on Wednesday April 7 regardless of theweather.

“Hopefully having a date set will allow everyone to plan for itbetter,” said Smith. “They announced the day last year, but it gotconfusing when it was changed for the weather.”

Smith added that the set date allows her and George to planbetter activities for Campus Day.

“If people can plan ahead for it, we’ll get betterparticipation,” she said. “We can also organize more activities andmake the whole event more exciting.”

Two additions to this year’s Campus Day are a party at BSC thenight before and a later start on Wednesday.

George and Smith described the party on Tuesday April 6 as aninformal way to get more members of the Simpson community involvedin Campus Day. They said the party would be similar to a StandAround with music, games and food.

Breakfast will be held at Pfieffer this year instead of in BSC,and it will be later than in the past. George said the committeesuggested a later start as a way to get more students involved.

Another difference this year will be the absence ofcompetitions. George said the day wasn’t meant to be competitive,it was meant to be about helping others.

“We’re not doing this to compete with each other, so we’veeliminated all competition,” said George. “No one is going to bejudged; instead we’ll be drawing random groups for prizes.”

After raking, lunch will be held in Cowles from 12:30 p.m. to 2p.m. This meal takes the place of Pfieffer’s regular meal, so it isopen to everyone.

All of these changes are leading up to major change in CampusDay next year: no more raking.

“Next year there will be a choice of two or three options,” saidSmith. “We want there to be a choice so people can pick somethingthey’re interested in. Not everybody likes to rake.”

If Campus Day expands like the committee expects it to, it willrequire far more planning than it has in the past. Applications arebeginning now for two paid positions open to any student wishing toorganize the event.

An application process was held last semester, but there were noapplicants.

“Abby and I decided to step up and organize it this year becausewe’re familiar with it,” said George. “Next year it could beanybody, it doesn’t have to be the student body president and vicepresident.”

Director of Human Resources Mimi Bartley served on the CampusDay committee, and has helped facilitate the event in the past. Shesaid the direction Campus Day takes in the future will dependentirely on what the students want to do.

Bartley added that she truly enjoys helping students organizeCampus Day.

“It’s fun even though it’s hard work to get it orchestrated,”she said. “It’s lovely to see it come to fruition and it’sgratifying to know that we’re helping folks.”