First and foremost, a major thank you needs to go out to the Brookings Police Department. The seven reserve officers and six uniformed officers patrolling downtown did a great job keeping things under control for the entire day. A cooperative crowd and the increased police presence resulted in only five non-violent citations: three for open container, one for urinating in public, and one for underage consumption. Given the fact that there could have been a few thousand people socializing with friends that day, this is a significantly low number.

DCEC would also like to thank the city for its donation for the rental of the Porta-Potties, as they were of great convenience to event participants. The 10 units came from Central Business Supply, who noted that they were used just about to their capacity. In the past, store owners had complained about boisterous crowd members coming into their stores to use their restroom facilities. By providing this alternative, St. Patrick’s celebrators stayed outside and store owners were able to concentrate on their day-to-day business operations.

The committee also wants to thank the city street department for its help in prepping for garbage removal and street sweeping before and quickly after the event.

SDSU’s Delta Chi fraternity also needs a major thank-you for bringing members down to clean up early on Sunday morning. They are receiving a donation from a few businesses and most of the bars and a few of the restaurants for their efforts, with the money going toward their cancer research charity: the Jimmy V. Foundation.

We’d like to thank the crowd for being respectful of the business owner’s properties and proving that you can still have fun, yet be responsible adults.

The DCEC will make notes and begin prepping for safety and weekend cleanup for the remainder of the year. In order to keep downtown looking good after these major events and every weekend, a seasonal cleanup fund will be set up, similar to the one the Downtown Sioux Falls program has in place. Donations will be accepted year-round by anyone who would like to contribute.

Also, our committee is always looking for volunteers. If you are interested in making a contribution or would like to sit on the committee, contact Downtown Brookings, Inc. at downtown@brookings.net.

Our mission is to ensure everyone has a safe and fun time while in our downtown, while making sure that when some of the businesses open on Sunday, no remnants of the night before are left behind.

DCEC Members: Troy Hicks, Lantern Lounge, Brennan and Lori Sullivan, Sully’s Irish Pub and The Brownstone; Les Rowland, designArc; Sara Rowland, Trendz; Patty Kratochvil, Threads of Memories; Daniel Roberts, SDSU student; Kaytlin Pelton, SDSU Student; Vicki Schuster, Downtown Brookings Program Manager; Jeff Miller, Brookings City Chief of Police, Marty Hendricks, Brookings Street Department.

Several students currently on and hoping to be on the Students’ Association say one of their top goals is to help the student body know who SA is.

When that is a top goal, it won’t happen.

It’s a basic princple. People don’t know you by what you say. They know you by what you do.

So to the students who want to expand the Performing Arts Center, increase campus recycling or add lighting around the library: we commend you. Not for the goals you have, but for the fact you have real, specific goals.

Goals should be measurable with a desired outcome. It’s been done before; the Bum-A-Bike project was once just a vision in a similar group’s heads.

Real results take work and patience.

Students will not know what SA is because a senator visits their classroom and gives a PowerPoint presentation about student government, and they aren’t likely to care about an open forum discussion in the Market.

On SA’s website, the mission statement says, “Our duty is to improve the student experience at SDSU.”

We want to encourage future senators to do that. Use the opportunity you have been given and do something. Students knowing who you are will come later.

Stance: Students know who you are when you do something. Not when you tell them who you are.

The Collegian is the independent student newspaper at South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D.The Collegian is published by and for South Dakota State University students under the First Amendment guarantees of free speech and a free press.Opinions expressed on these pages are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty, staff or administration. The Collegian is published weekly on Wednesday during the academic year of SDSU.

Senior Staff

Ad Manager: Aerica Hasz

Editor-in-Chief: Tony Gorder

Managing Editor: Emma DeJong

Adviser: Susan Smith

Accounting Assistant: Debbie Landwehr

Staff

News Editor: Hannah Baker

News Editor: Frederic Cone

News Editor: Ellen Nelson

News Editor: Kritine Young

Sports Editor: Drue Aman

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Contact Information

The Collegian

SDSU – USU 069

Brookings, SD 57007

Main line: 605.688.6164

Newsroom: 605.688.6166

Editor-in-Chief: 605.688.6178

Fax: (605) 688-6165