Veishea is the largest student-run celebration in the nation, but some people question whether all students are represented in the planning of the annual spring event.

Although Veishea committees traditionally have been comprised predominantly of members of the greek system, Veishea leaders say they are working to get more students involved with the organization.

Scott DeSotel, Veishea Central Committee general co-chairman, estimated that the greek to non-greek ratio on the Veishea 1999 committee is about two to one.

DeSotel, senior in agricultural business, and his co-chair Aimee Lee said about 80 percent of the non-greek applicants for Veishea were placed on a committee.

They said it has been a challenge getting students from the residence halls and off campus to submit applications.

“The thing is, we can get the word out as much as we want, but if people don’t apply, obviously they’re not going to get on the committees,” said Lee, senior in public service and administration in agriculture.

This year’s Veishea executive committee includes 18 greek and seven non-greek members. DeSotel said he believed this was the highest that the number of non-greek members on the executive board has been in recent years.

Steve Sullivan, member of the Veishea Advisory Council and Veishea adviser from 1993-98, said “the greek dominance issue has always been there.”

“I think it’s certainly true that the majority of people who get involved with Veishea come from the greek community,” he said. “I also think it’s true that the representation of students from the non-greek areas has increased over the last several years.”

The increase is not substantial, “but it’s there,” said Sullivan, manager of ISU News Service.

Vernon Wall, assistant dean of students and Veishea adviser, said the prevalence of greek involvement with Veishea has helped the celebration become as strong as it currently is.

“The history of Veishea is that it’s been fairly greek dominated,” he said. “That’s what I think has made Veishea as strong as it is today is, that there’s been a solid group of folks to work with it.”

Wall has served as a Veishea adviser since coming to campus in December.

Lee and DeSotel, both members of greek chapters, agreed that the foundation of the greek community’s involvement has strengthened Veishea over the years.

“The greek system does have the opportunity to provide some stability, with there being so much turnover of students leaving from year to year,” DeSotel said. “The greek system has the ability to turn over some of that information.”

Lee and DeSotel both said they were encouraged to become involved with Veishea by older members of their greek chapters.

“When I was a freshman, there weren’t people on my residence hall floor who said, ‘Hey, did you fill out an application for this,'” Lee said. “I learned about it through the greek system, and I think that’s one reason why the percentage of greeks is so high.”

Jen Plueger, Veishea executive secretary, has been involved with Veishea for three years. She lived in the residence halls for two years and currently lives off campus.

Recruiting non-greek students to serve on Veishea committees is a challenge, said Plueger, senior in journalism and mass communication.

“I remember when I lived in the dorms, and I was on public relations [for Veishea],” she said. “We put fliers in the dorms; we put table tents at food service. We have tried every route available to reach the residence hall people, and they don’t respond to them.”

Wall said more one-on-one contact was needed with student groups such as the Inter-Residence Hall Association, Black Student Alliance and others to increase diverse involvement in Veishea.

“I am making it a goal of mine to look at the whole process of committee membership,” he said, “hopefully, on a positive trend for more people to feel an ownership to Veishea.”

Hundreds of non-greek students are involved with Veishea via entries in the parade, sponsoring open houses for their clubs, Stars Over Veishea and other events throughout the week.

“You need to look at the student groups who are participating in Veishea that weekend, who are putting those hours into planning events that are representing their cultures, themselves and their clubs,” Sullivan said.

DeSotel said talking to students who participate in Veishea events this weekend will help with recruitment for next year.