Students will not hear sleigh bells ring tonight.

Winter Wonderland has been moved to tonight at 7 p.m. in the basement of Lawson Hall, said Amy Baumgart, a graduate assistant in the student life office.

The event was previously scheduled to take place in a tent on the South Quad, but due to the forecast of high winds the tent was cancelled.

Baumgart said campus scheduling was concerned that the high winds may pose a safety problem for students.

“In the end it was my call,” Baumgart said. “We wanted to make sure the students were safe.”

Due to the event being held indoors, the previously scheduled sleigh rides have been cancelled.

“It’s not going to be very winter-esque,” said Baumgart. “Which is a little bit of a bummer.”

The event will still include an acoustic singer and free food, and students will be able to make snow globes. The fire-eaters that were previously scheduled will juggle instead.

Winter Wonderland was planned by Student Body President Cole Rogers.

Rogers said the event isn’t strictly music and snow globes.

Rogers said that the event was a way for Eastern students to express concern and get involved. Student Government will be setting up four tables to help student involvement and awareness on campus. The tables will provide election information, the Student Government mission statement, a detailed project list and information about Eastern. One of the tables will allow students to voice their opinions on any issue regarding Eastern.

Although Student Government has planned many recruiting and information opportunities for students, Student Government’s sponsorship of Winter Wonderland remains controversial with some within the Student Senate.

When the resolution was passed in January, it was voted down by five senators based on one of two factors: involvement of other organizations or encroachment on duties usually undertaken by University Board.

“I think it was kind of sad that it was just Student Senate,” said Ryan Kerch, a junior biology major and member of both Student Senate and University Board. “If this is something like First Night, there should be more campus organizations. The senate didn’t seek out orientation.”

Kerch didn’t feel like the senate had become too involved in assignments usually taken up by University Board, but at the same time expressed concern regarding the entertainment value of the event, saying it shouldn’t be strictly entertainment.

Rogers, however, insists on the recruitment and involvement aspect of the event, hoping to attract students in the vicinity of the quad, either coming out of dining halls or coming from their dorms.

“If providing, as incentive, entertainment, it could help more students get involved on campus,” he said.

Dylan Polk can be reached at 581-7942 or at dmpolk@eiu.edu.