RSVPs were requested. The round tables in the Acura Club of FAU’s stadium were set with white tablecloths and sweating goblets of ice water for arriving guests. Catering was provided by Chartwells. Owlsley even wore a suit.

Student Government held their State of the University Address Tuesday night. The event consisted mostly of SG leadership and featured speeches from students, administrators and even a few local politicians including Florida Sen. Maria Sachs.

Interim Vice President of Student Affairs Corey King gave the opening remarks, welcoming guests to the event. King set the tone of the evening by discussing the importance of leadership, especially through service to FAU and the surrounding community.

“It’s one thing when people serve others because it’s something they want to put on their resume. It’s another when people lead and serve others because it’s their desire,” King said.

Student Body Governor Kathryn Edmunds gave the Boca campus address. She spoke about what her experience with the governor’s administrative cabinet, advisers to the student body president, has taught her about leadership.

“Leadership is the art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for shared aspirations,” said Edmunds. “It is our goal to create a culture where students are fully engaged and working together to advocate for the [student] body as a whole.”

The focus of the evening, the University Address, was delivered by Student Body President Michael Cepeda. Cepeda highlighted some of the programs that had been implemented thus far during his term as president.

Cepeda noted the recent extension of the S.E. Wimberly Library hours of operation until 2 a.m. on Sundays through Thursdays. He mentioned the recent introduction of Zip Car, a combination car-sharing and hourly rental operation, as a new transportation option on campus.

With regard to campus safety and security, Cepeda also cited SG’s recent partnership with the FAU Police Department to purchase SmartWater CSI kits. The kits are to be utilized by FAU PD to deter theft and protect property on campus.

SmartWater is a water based solution, which dries clear, is visible under black light, and traceable for up to five years. It contains a unique PIN number that can be used to track property and individuals that come into contact with it.Cepeda announced that FAU is the first university in the nation to utilize this technology.

Cepeda also mentioned FAU’s goal to rank among the top 25 football programs in the country and its renewed initiative to improve graduation rates.  Improvements budgeted for the 2013-2014 school year included hiring 26 new advisers in order to improve the adviser-to-student ratio.

FAU’s low graduation rates, among other factors, recently cost the school 7 million dollars in performance-based funding.

Cepeda spoke of leaving the past behind and moving on to writing the next chapters in FAU history.

“Our freshmen arriving this year, will almost know nothing of our past. Everything that student will know about FAU will be because of what we doing today as the leaders of the student body,” he said

Sachs also spoke a few words, reiterating the importance of leadership in creating change.

“I look to you student leaders, as leaders who will make changes in our city in our county in our state and in our nation and it all starts today,” she said.

FAU President John Kelly helped close out the evening, discussing his plans for FAU’s future and building its brand.

“It’s time for us to become a great national university,” he said. “It’s time for us to reach an aspiration where we’re the best among the best.”

“Every time you make a brand deposit, meaning you do something great at this university … the value of your degree goes up,” Kelly said. “The value of all those that  came before you, their degree goes up. So if we continue to do nothing but good, positive things throughout this university, the FAU brand goes higher and higher, and by the time you’re my age, you will own the brand that everybody else will aspire to have.”

Kelly will deliver his State of the University Address in the Barry Kaye Auditorium on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 10:30 a.m. The address will be webcast at FAU.edu/webcast . No RSVP is required.