Some members of the Veishea committee in charge of breaking down the riot are asking for more direction to see the “big picture.”

“There’s been no clear sense of what the issues are because we haven’t been able to see the big picture,” said Gloria Betcher, academic adviser of English and committee member.

The 2004 Task Force on Assuring Successful Veishea and Other Student/Community Celebrations will use its Wednesday meeting to further clarify its goals. Among the items on the agenda are a discussion of the task force’s guiding principles and the reports from the three working groups.

Much of the meeting will be spent discussing the groups’ findings and determining the need for further information.

The task force designated three work groups early in its conception to study specific aspects relevant to the April 18 riot and each group has met several times independent of the entire task force.

Betcher, a member of work group two, said the task force has made good progress but would like to see it give the groups more context within which to work.

Group two, which is charged with examining the underlying causes of the riots, has learned a lot about the dynamics of the confrontation, Betcher said.

“We’ve made good progress,” she said. “We’ve reviewed the literature available and looked at sociological studies of celebratory riots.”

Sara Kellogg, program coordinator for the substance abuse and violence prevention program and member of work group one, said she has also been pleased with the progress of her group.

“We are doing pretty well at our task of trying to prepare a Web site asking students what they think,” she said. “One of the issues at the meeting will be for the task force to approve the Web site before we send it out.”

Several members of the task force said they also hope Wednesday’s meeting will set the stage for the surveys that are going to be sent out by different groups and set the rules for the public forums scheduled for September.

Some of the working groups surveys were delayed by the confusion about whether or not a human subjects release form would be required before they could collect information. The task force will not need the form, but will attach a disclaimer warning participants that any information given will be public.

Despite some setbacks and confusion as to what each working group’s role is, most members of the task force feel it is moving along well.

“I wish we had made more progress over the summer,” said Betcher. “But there’s been a lot of concern about making sure students are involved. I know no one wants to make any decisions unless we make sure we’re informed.”

“From the outside, it seems like its taking a long time,” said Michelle Bohan, president of the Iowa State Graduate and Professional Student Senate and member of working group one. “I’m glad, however, that we’re taking the time to do things right.”

Kellogg agreed.

“[The task force] is doing the best that it can,” she said. “You might think that its an easy process, but it’s extremely difficult.”

The task force’s meeting will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday in rooms 250 and 252 at the Scheman Building.