The Homecoming Planning Committee held a meeting Wednesday to discuss goals for next school year’s homecoming events, according to Jaisabrish Sankarkumar.

While the group did not want to disclose specific information about possible themes for the week or bands for the Pack Howl concert, he said the group is looking for student opinions.

One of the most important items for this year, Sankarkumar said, is to encourage a diversity of groups to get involved in homecoming.

“We definitely want to draw more diverse groups and expand the spirit competition as well as grow homecoming in general,” he said.

They want to make homecoming “more of a campus-wide event,” he said, while expanding outside of the University as well.

“We’re also trying to branch out as a community, with people in the Triangle area and N.C. State alum, not just current students,” he said.

The points system for spirit competitions is another area the committee is looking to improve, Sankarkumar said.

“Right now we did a tally system, and we’re looking to have it changed to a student ID [system in which] the way people are checked in and out of events is more secure,” he said.

Katie Parker, the parade chair and a junior in communication, said the committee will have to plan a lot in the summer because homecoming activities are starting especially early this year. with the kick-off Sept. 28.

“There’s so much stuff involved with it,” she said. “[We’re] just making sure it all runs smoothly on the night of [homecoming].”

Parker said expanding the parade will be a top priority.

“[Before,] a lot of the city came out, and [after] every couple years it hasn’t been as big,” she said. “I’d like it to be a whole community event.”

In looking for bands, Parker said the committee has to find music that appeals to as many people as possible.

“We’re trying to find something that we haven’t had here in a while,” she said. In the past, she said committees have chosen country and rap that appeals to a broad audience.

The theme is still in discussion as well, and Parker said the group will continue to look for student input.

The committee will hold three more meetings in the fall to continue planning, she said, and Sankarkumar said planning is important.

“We’d like to have the theme official by the time we leave for the summer,” he said. “Homecoming is really early this year, so before school starts we’ll have our theme, our band and [everything] finalized.”