Coming Home

Coming home to something new

After a disastrous Homecoming last year plagued by poor planning and rampant cancellations, the campus community may finally be getting serious about making the annual event worthy of its name.
A committee formed last semester after the Homecoming problems has decided, among other things, to move the event to February in an effort to increase participation and planning time among both students and alumni. While there is, of course, no guarantee that the campus community will respond to any changes that the committee makes, its effort to cut through the legendary apathy that has become a hallmark of UM-St. Louis is commendable. We feel this represents a genuine attempt to make Homecoming the gala celebration it's supposed to be.
Switching dates for the event, however, will not solve the underlying problems that hurt last year's Homecoming. Miscommunication, lack of participation and planning problems were the main stumbling blocks to a successful party. The dance, which went off without a hitch, and which sold out for the first time in recent memory, proved that when events are coordinated and publicized effectively, students do turn out.
The committee's actions are a good first step towards a creating a Homecoming we can be proud of, but the real test will be whether the planners can follow through on their vision.