By Lori Bredemeyer, Student Reporter

The Spring Break Campaign committee is making changes to the campaign process this year, as well as changing the setup of some of the campaigns themselves.

Campaigns are traveling to 34 locations and include two seek-and-follow campaigns and a men-only trip.

Rachel McGuire, committee co-chair, said several changes are being introduced this year, including using fewer leaders per group, doing leadership training and driving to more locations instead of flying.

“Campaigns are going to be a lot more expensive this year because of the airline restrictions on group rates and the economy is going down,” said McGuire, junior ministry to children and family major from Amarillo.

“It’s incredibly expensive to fly a group of 20 people, so any campaign that’s anywhere near driving distance is going to be driving vans to their locations…. That’s going to be really hard on a lot of campaigns, but it will also save an average of $300 per campaigner.”

Because of the higher cost, campaigners will be asked to sign a contract stating that they will pay for the cost of the campaign. They will also be required to pay a non-refundable fee that will cover cancellation costs if they choose to withdraw.

McGuire said leaders are going through more rigorous training than in years past.

“We’re really dedicated to leadership training,” she said. “We don’t want to send untrained leaders out with campaigners.”

McGuire said evaluation forms last year showed that campaigners had doubts about their leaders’ credibility and qualifications.

She also said campaign leaders must abide by university rules to lead a Spring Break Campaign.

“In order to be a leader on campus, you must live up to the expectations that the school requires,” she said. “You can lose your leadership position if you’re on Chapel probation, academic probation or disciplinary probation.”

Another addition this year is the War Room-an office located in the Bean Sprout that the SBC committee shares with the Weekend Campaign and Spiritual Life committees. The room is used for planning, prayer and meetings.

McGuire said leaders are also getting the backing of local churches this year.

“Campaign leaders are being asked to take their campaign to any eldership in town, and to have the support and prayer backing of that congregation,” McGuire said. “We feel it’s really important that the campaigns are backed by a local congregation and not just by ACU.”

McGuire said the vision of Spring Break Campaigns has not been changed, just strengthened.

“Our prayer is that these campaigns will be so bathed in prayer by the leaders, by the committee, by the campaigners, by the contacts, by the churches and by ACU,” she said. “We don’t believe that campaigns are something that happens during a week. Campaigns are a prayerful action that takes place all year long until campaigns and even following.”

The SBC committee will be holding an Info Fair Oct. 28-30 in the Hilton Room. Sign-ups are tentatively scheduled for Oct. 31.