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The objection to crosses at CUA came from a non-Muslim litigious nut. It did not come from the Muslim students at CUA, who express bewilderment about it and did not join in the complaint.

This issue came up a couple of years ago at Georgetown (a Jesuit university.) In a rich vein of irony, the campus Rabbi, the Muslim chaplain and one of the Muslim professors strongly supported the crosses in the classrooms; the Jesuit leadership were uncomfortable with them.

Entire story:

Georgetown: Crucifix Must Stay, Muslim Chaplain says "I am convinced that the cross is an important religious symbol for all people", said Imam Yahya Hendi, the Islamic chaplain at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. "And I would object to the cross being removed from classrooms".

Speaking at a conference on campus religious life, Imam Hendi said that as a Muslim he had "no difficulty in working in a classroom where there is a cross". He added: "In fact, I am ready to put up a fight to make sure the cross stays in place!"

Georgetown, the first Catholic university in the US, is also the first Catholic university to hire a full-time Muslim chaplain.

Readers will recall that at Georgetown between the years 1996 and 1999, students of numerous different creeds, ethnicities and backgrounds came together in support of placing crucifixes in Georgetown's classrooms as a way to reaffirm the Catholic identity of the Jesuit university. Most classrooms lacked crucifixes in 1996.

The effort was led by the Georgetown University Committee for Crucifixes in the Classroom. This student committee had received support from non-Christian students and faculty members as well.

"The crucifix reminds us of the idea of suffering and how we can come to God through suffering. We should have crucifixes in the classrooms", said Rabbi Harold White.

Muslim Professor Maysam al-Faruqi said, "If having a crucifix in every classroom will help Catholics strengthen their faith, then we should have two in each classroom, not just one".

The students -- who also gained the support of Cardinal James Hickey and the late Cardinal John O'Connor in their argument with the university administration -- eventually prevailed, and in 1999, crucifixes were in all Georgetown classrooms.

Sources (LINK)