Senior Week is back this year, and although the alcohol policy from last year has not changed, everything else from past Senior Weeks has.
"It's a new program that will help us leave our legacy," senior class vice president Brad Henriksen said. "It's not like the old Senior Weeks."
Senior Week this year has four goals: unity, closure, celebration and legacy.
"The stigma of the week is completely different," Henriksen said.
On the first night, May 13, seniors will participate in reverse PlayFair. While most students at the College attend PlayFair during Welcome Week to meet fellow freshmen, this PlayFair will give seniors the opportunity to see friends as well as meet classmates.
"It'll ... form unity right off the bat," senior class secretary Nicole Kasian said.
Other highlights of the week include a "mystery" speaker that the council cannot yet disclose, a lakeside picnic that will probably feature boats on one of the lakes and a big luau at KatManDu in Trenton.
On the last night, students will participate in a new tradition. They will assemble around the Science Complex fountain, which will be turned on, and College President R. Barbara Gitenstein will lead them in a champagne toast.
After the toast, seniors will walk in a processional to Eickhoff Hall for their "senior gala," a semi-formal dance.
The council members said Eickhoff will be set up with a dance floor and a formal dinner will be served. Henriksen said Eickhoff will not be recognizable as the usual dining hall.
Other events planned are a trip to Great Adventure, a pig roast and a trip to Jenk's Night Club in Point Pleasant.
Alcohol is still not allowed in Travers/Wolfe halls but will be served at various events throughout the week in moderation, such as at the pig roast and the senior gala.
"We've really stacked this program to appeal to so many different people," senior class treasurer Karen Robinson said.
Robinson said the council has worked hard with Jim Norfleet, vice president for Student Affairs, and Magda Manetas, vice president for Student Services. She said that despite last year's problems with lack of ticket sales, the administration, including Gitenstein, has been very receptive to reinstating Senior Week.
"They've definitely been so supportive throughout," she said.
Registration starts on Wednesday, Feb. 20. Tickets will be $185 each and will include everything except extra meals and drinks throughout the week.
Registration information will be available through the Senior Week Web site, tcnj.edu/~seniorwk.
The Student Finance Board (SFB) allocated $5,600 at its Feb. 6 meeting to go toward the program.
Henriksen said although SFB did not fully allocate their request, the council is extremely grateful for the support of the board.
That amount will be supplemented by funding from Alumni Affairs as well as through fundraising by the senior class council.
"We have a lot of confidence in our program," she said.
Council members said they were motivated to try to resurrect Senior Week after last year's failure.
"We wanted to have a Senior Week," Robinson said. "We've done this not just for ourselves but our entire class."
"We really just want to focus on new traditions," Henriksen said. "This is the last chance we're going to have to be together at some of the places we remember."
