The Council of Representatives discussed the successes and shortcomings of the Michigan State pep rally at its Tuesday meeting.
Billy Wardlaw, chair of the Hall Presidents Council (HPC), which has a leadership role in pep rally programming, said the event's execution was unproblematic.
"It was successful on the HPC-end. The walkover went smoothly," he said. "I thought the pep rally was great, [former Notre Dame head coach] Ara [Parseghian] did a great job, and it was great to have a [former] Notre Dame team, the '66 team there."
Senior Class Council president Anne Huntington said she thought the pep rally went well, but student attendance was lacking.
"It was really awesome, really fun. [Former Secretary of State] Condoleezza [Rice] was great," she said. "But it looked like there were zero students from where I was standing."
Wardlaw said publicizing Rice's attendance at the rally might have increased student turnout, but prematurely releasing the information would have risked disappointing students.
"They don't want to say Condoleezza is going to be there and then she's not ... these people are really busy," he said. "They are really hesitant to release the speakers."
Pasquerilla East senator Katie Rose said some students skipped the rally because of a history of lackluster rallies on Irish Green.
"I know a lot of my friends, and myself included, don't have much motivation to go to Irish Green pep rallies since they haven't been so successful in the past," Rose said.
Freshmen Leadership Experience chair Ricky Bevington said some students regretted their decision not to attend the pep rally after hearing about it from students who went.
"A lot of people feel like they missed out at this one," he said. "I know a lot of people who didn't go are planning to go to the next one."
Junior class president Kevin Doherty said the rallies should return to their original focus on students.
"I know one of the concerns I've heard at least from some students is that they think the pep rallies are more geared toward alumni coming in for the game, rather than students," Doherty said.
