With new leadership and a new process, the Campus Activities Board met Sept. 28.

Candice Dickinson, CAB president, opened the meeting by addressing the ideas from the officers meeting. This meeting was the first meeting under the newly-elected officers.

A total of 15 students were present.

“We are here to assist the Student Activities Office by planning, organizing and executing activities for the Southern students,” Dickinson said.

She said the majority of the fall events have already been planned, but the officers decided on adding one community involvement activity per month.

These ideas ranged from a drive-by raking, working with the Lafayette House, a safe Halloween at John Q. Hammons, working at a senior citizen’s home and adopting a family for Christmas.

“We may do something that requires time,” Dickinson said.

Derek White, CAB secretary, detailed the ideas for each event, but left the floor open for any ideas students may have.

“We’re just trying to get out to the community and get our name out,” he said.

He said the safe Halloween is a good chance to work with the community and to work with other organizations on campus which already work at the event.

“There are tons of kids lined up outside the building,” he said.

He also said the nursing home visits would be a good idea for all CAB members because it helps several people at once, especially the senior citizens.

“It means a lot to them,” he said. “It also means a lot to the nursing homes. And, again, it gets our name out there.”

The group also discussed the possibility of starting a tradition on campus. The tradition would be something students could partake in each year and raise funds for a volunteer organization.

“People seeing things is important,” said Valerie German, sophomore biology major.

German said it would be good to get students involved in a tradition they can partake in and pay attention too at the same time.

The meetings are open to all students, and all ideas are welcome.

“We have meetings to get opinions on things to do,” said Terry Levy, CAB treasurer.

Levy said it was important to allow students the opportunity to have their voices heard and their ideas taken down. With few students attending meetings, the ideas cannot get across.

“We’re going to do what a majority of the people want to do,” Dickinson said.

As an incentive to attend, an outstanding CAB member will be selected at the end of the semester based on which and how many activities and meetings that member attended.

Tori Maloukis, director of student activities, said students should not be afraid of trying to organize events.

“That’s what we’re here for, and 15 people planning one event is not much planning,” she said.

The meeting ended after 20 minutes, and Maloukis extended an invitation to all students to attend.

“It ran smoothly,” she said. “And, I’m looking forward to more members.”

Meetings are every Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Student Activities Office on the second floor of the Billingsly Student Center.