Posted on 12/07/2005 7:41:58 AM PST by Pikamax
Holiday season brings out campus multiculturalism By Ellen Burke Staff Reporter December 07, 2005
As the sun sets on the Capstone, simple white lights shine from a tree in front of the Rose Administration Building as workers assemble the final branches. But there's a mystery about the tree - it has no name.
Across the nation, debates rage about whether trees on public property should be designated as Christmas trees or as "holiday" trees, incorporating other religious holidays into the meaning of the tree.
The UA tree hasn't been named and won't be, UA spokeswoman Cathy Andreen said.
"If people want to refer to it as a 'Christmas tree' or as a 'holiday tree,' it's up to them," she said.
The artificial tree, which was donated to the University in 2003, will not have ornaments or other features recognizing other religious holidays. It is only decorated with white lights, Andreen said.
The issue has heated up at Auburn University. In a meeting that drew 70 spectators, Auburn's SGA senate voted Monday to keep a lighted tree on campus called the "Holiday Tree" instead of changing its name to the "Christmas Tree," the Auburn Plainsman reported.
Andreen said the University does not have any policy that symbols of other religions must be in place if a Christmas display is put up on campus, but many such displays seem to follow that idea.
Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa are represented in a display in the Ferguson Center.
Jane Stanfield, assistant vice president for international education and global affairs for the Capstone International Center, said it is important to remember that though the majority of students celebrate Christmas this time of year, other religions' most significant holy days occur at different times during the year or even change from year to year.
The center puts up displays not only for Christian and Jewish holidays, but also for Islamic, Hindu and Shinto holidays, along with Kwanzaa, she said.
Alicia Browne, spokeswoman for UA Housing and Residential Communities, said officials realize students have different religious beliefs and celebrate different holidays.
"Most residents celebrate Christmas but are probably interested in learning about other traditions. The RAs do a good job at paying attention to other holidays," she said.
Even the UA Counseling Center is incorporating multiculturalism into its holiday "Night of Relaxation" on Thursday.
Jennifer Turner, coordinator of clinical services, said students can get together and decorate cards and cookies for the holiday season, but the cards and cookies won't focus only on Christmas.
Since Hanukkah's starting dates change from year to year, the Jewish holiday sometimes starts before students get out of school for the semester break. While Hanukkah starts on Dec. 25 this year, it started on Dec. 7 in 2004, nearly 10 days before the end of finals week.
Adam Dayan, a senior majoring in biological and chemical engineering who is Jewish and originally from Israel, said Americans seem to be recognizing other religious holidays more.
"I am less surprised to see the integration of Hanukkah and Christmas during my fourth year here, far from my amusement when I first arrived at the U.S.," Dayan said.
How about "The Union Tree"?
http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051206/NEWS0501/512060326/1152
Sean Hannity had the president of the University of Auburn college republicans on to talk about this on his radio show yesterday (Tues Dec. 6th).
My suggestion sent to Laura, president of the Auburn college Republicans:
"How about getting you and your College Republicans together to start the first annual Auburn University Christmas walk celebration. You can sing Christmas carols, make 'Merry Christmas' related signs, etc.
If you publicize this on the campus and with the local media I'm willing to bet that you will get an excellent turnout. This could be the start of a tradition
that will be carried on far into the future by those fine students who attend Auburn in the future."
They could just call it "The Tree".
Or "That Thing"
Or "It"
===
Go to class !!
Well, their teams are the Tigers but they call them the "War Eagles"...so they have a history of name issues there.
How about "The Incredibly Tall, Green Thingee."
That would be AUBURN UNIVERSITY, not the University of Auburn. Thank you very much!
ConservativeBamaFan,
With Auburn winning four in a row, I just have one thing to say: FEAR THE THUMB! :) Merry Christmas!
That's awesome, WAR EAGLE!
I received an email from Auburn one day this week. It will be called a Christmas Tree next year. I forgot who sent it.
Not to be picky--but most of this article is about the University of Alabama. The Ferguson center, the Crimson and White, the capstone--all relate to Alabama, not Auburn.
Your headline is a bit misleading. UA is the University of Alabama. Whenever UA or "The University" is mentioned, the author is referring to the University of Alabama. The article references Auburn University in one paragraph only.
Well Bama is called the Crimson Tide, but their mascot is an elephant. What's up with that?
That took longer than expected.
And Stanford is The Cardinal, but their mascot is a tree.
Jeremiah 10:2-4
"Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen.... For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not."
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