Southern IMPACT is already making the move to plan more activities for a special day in January.

In the past, Missouri Southern has celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a breakfast at 7 a.m. on the day. Jason Givens, senior criminal justice major and president of IMPACT, said this time it will be different.

He said the attendees of the breakfast are made up mostly of the administration, faculty and staff of the University, along with some community members and a “small portion” of the student body.

“The issue that comes up in our meeting is that it’s too early,” Givens said.

Rather than change the time of the meal, the organization is trying to make more events throughout the day for students to attend. Currently, they are hoping for a workshop on King’s life from the day of his birth to his assassination. After the workshop, he wants a lunch planned, for some people at least.

“We don’t know if it’ll be for all students,” Givens said.

Right now, there is nothing set in stone. Dr. Al Cade, assistant to the dean of education, is one of three faculty advisers to the group. Cade said the organization is doing research to get ideas for the day.

“They’re looking what other campuses are doing to get more participation,” Cade said.

He said they average 125 people at the breakfast.

Givens said other ideas for the day include an essay contest, having something at an area church and a moment of silence.

“It’s a lot of activities that they want to do,” Givens said. “The main project is the workshop.”

Givens hopes to start the day at 7 a.m. and run until about 3 p.m. They are asking various professors at the University to participate, as well as going to the community, the NAACP, the George Washington Carver house and local represents for speakers and activities.

The goal is to get more students, as well as people outside of the institution, involved in the day and help them become more aware of its significance.

“They want the day to be more recognized than it has been in the past,” Givens said.

“It’s an opportunity for the campus to invite the community in and get a collaborative celebration,” said Gloria Faine, associate professor of teacher education.

Also in the talks is the idea of trying to get that day recognized as a school holiday, meaning no classes. Givens said the group is just considering this possibility right now. He recognizes that the amount of people who would show up to activities on a day without classes would be less than on a day with classes.

“If you have an activity on a three day weekend, there won’t be any show,” he said. D.J. Prue, sophomore undecided major, said both things should happen. Students should get the day off, and there should be more activities.

He thinks students would show up on their day off.

“If we got a day off from school, it would allow for more activities to show up to,” Prue said.

Faine said the focus of the discussion is not whether or not there will be school, but rather how to get students to show up at the events.

Lack of participation at the events of the day is the main focus.

So far, Cade said the administration, as well as numerous faculty members, have been “really supportive” of the planning of more events. Givens said he is looking to other clubs and organizations to help with the day.

He hopes to have everything planned out by the end of November.