By Kyle Wallace, Staff Writer
Student Activities Council’s annual Big Event is undergoing changes to accommodate a smaller budget and increase the number of students served.
SAC hosts Big Event to celebrate the end of the academic year and provide students with fun activities.
This year’s event theme is World’s Fair, which will feature carnival attractions and different cultural cuisines prepared by the university’s cultural organizations.
Organizations will work with Sodexo to prepare and serve the food, which will be free for students. The Office of Student Engagement, Inclusion and Multicultural Programs will cover organizations’ food costs.
The festivities will be from 5-9 p.m. April 23 on the quad lawn.
SAC is hosting this year’s Big Event on campus, instead of hosting the event at an off-campus location as it has the past five years.
Food trucks originally were part of the plan for the event, but the university’s contract with Sodexo does not allow for outside food vendors on campus.
Negotiations between SAC and Sodexo officials still are ongoing.
“There are exceptions, but they have to be approved by me before being executed,” said Nirali Mickow, director of operations for Sodexo.
MaryAnn Grover, vice president of Student Activities Council, said the changes are positive.
“As difficult as the changes have been, it’s an opportunity to include people who couldn’t travel off campus or people who are studying but need a break,” Grover said.
SAC spent $34,000 for last year’s Big Event at Frontier City, an Oklahoma City amusement park. Officials expect to spend $20,000 on this year’s event.
Some students see hosting the event on campus as a more convenient, more inclusive option.
“The off-campus places were cool, but I understand that it’s expensive,” said Teddie Bemis, mass communications junior. “It’ll be exciting to see what all the different organizations do.”
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