With Valentine's Day marking the halfway point of the "Love Makes the World Go Round, Show Your Love" tsunami relief campaign, Saint Mary's Board of Governance met Monday night to discuss its continued relief efforts.
"[There was a] much better effort this week," executive treasurer Molly Welton said.
BOG altered campaigning slightly this week by changing the types of collection bins that are used and adding a donation table in the Madeleva classroom building.
"We added the table and the new canisters around campus in hopes to raise more money," BOG chief of staff Susan McIlduff said. "The new canisters have seemed to be very successful."
Welton announced the unofficial total of the campaign so far as $552.65, out of a $1,341 goal. BOG members attributed this increase in donations to a second door-to-door dorm collection, which raised approximately $100, and the donation table, which collected $47.50. Welton said the door-to-door collections have been the most successful thus far, and a third collection night is scheduled for Feb. 27.
"I really think that we can and should reach our goal," Welton said.
BOG will continue collecting for the "Show Your Love" campaign at upcoming events such as Junior/Senior Bowling Night, Sophomore Parents Weekend, Little Sibs Weekend and the Saint Mary's women's basketball game this Saturday.
BOG approved the co-sponsorship of a committee comprised of members of the Saint Mary's Justice Department, Notre Dame Center for Social Concerns and members of the community, which will aid in bringing former Illinois Governor George Ryan to the Saint Mary's and Notre Dame community.
As part of the Death Penalty Symposium, which will be held from Feb. 23 to March 2, Ryan will speak on the Notre Dame campus about the falliability of the death penalty and will also hold a panel discussion at Saint Mary's.
"The committee has come from different parts of the campus and community," junior Katie Kelly, who spoke as a representative of the committee, said. "[The symposium] is not so much focused against the death penalty, but looking at the different dynamics surrounding it."
Members of BOG expressed concern over how the provided funds would be used and where other funds for the symposium would come. Welton said if the committee is serious about getting donations then they would need to provide BOG with a more detailed budget. Further BOG concerns stemmed from the publicity of the event.
"No one knows anything for an event happening in two weeks," sophomore BOG member Monica Lindblom said.
But some members felt publicity was not the issue at hand.
"Our choice should not be based on our publicity ... if should be based on how many Saint Mary's students will find this valuable," student body president Sarah Catherine White said.
BOG approved the co-sponsorship, with the stipulation that the funds coming from BOG be used specifically to help accommodate Ryan's trip to the Saint Mary's campus.
In other BOG news:
uThe Women Honoring Women committee selected Carrie Call, Astrid Henry, Mary Connolly and Lynn Kachmarik as nominees for the Women Honoring Women award, which will be handed out at a dinner March 23.
u The Student Diversity Board will sponsor a cultural taste fest Thursday at noon in the dining hall. The first 15 off-campus students will get in free.
u A small group forum entitled "The Many Diverse Voices of Saint Mary's" will be held tonight at 5:30 p.m. in the Stapleton Lounge.
