Trick-or-treating falls behind

Rumors traveled around Xavier about children coming to trick-or-treat on campus this Halloween. Unfortunately, the event did not happen this year. What used to be called the "Fall Fun Fest" has not happened since 2009. The Fall Fun Fest was a Xavier event put on for kids living in the surrounding area as well as for the children of Xavier faculty and staff. Different autumn-themed stations, like pumpkin painting and cookie decorating were set up on campus and in the residence halls. Children came to campus

with their families and teachers for trick-or-treating.

The Fall Fun Fest used to be run by an organization called

X-Action, which also was in charge of STAR, Community Action Day and Saturday morning service. X-Action was a student working group and part of the Office of Student

Involvement. Student working groups are different from clubs because they have less independence, they are an

extension of a campus office and their group funding

comes from different places. For clubs, funding comes from

Student Government Association, but funding for student working groups comes from the office with which they are affiliated. The reasons why the Fall Fun Fest has not been done for the last two years have nothing to do with funding. The Fall Fun Fest used to be run by the student director

of X-Action. That role no longer exists. When the Dorothy

Day Center for Faith and Justice was reorganized, X-Action and Peace and Justice programs were combined. The mission statement of the Center for Faith and Justice and the Office for Student Involvement differed. The goals

of the Fall Fun Fest did not match up with CFJ's mission. Therefore, it was not a program that they decided to keep.

In addition, the energy for the program has not been present in the past few years. Molly Robertshaw, the asssistant director of service and justice for Dorothy

Day Center for Faith and Justice, said that the Fall Fun Fest was put on by students. It was their desire to make

the event happen. The Norwood and Evanston communities never came to Xavier with a request for the event. In the future, students would have to go into the surrounding neighborhoods and talk to city leaders for the event to be a success. Also, a definite coordinating body would need to be formed for organizational purposes.