Daily Skiff

This holiday season students may be surprised to find there will be no Christmas tree on the steps of Sadler Hall. The traditional tree at Sadler during Holidays at TCU will be relocated to the Campus Commons.

Brad Thompson, student activities coordinator, said the 6,000 pound, 46-foot tree will be lifted by a 168,000-pound crane up and over the Brown-Lupton University Union Auditorium to place it in the BLUU Plaza on Nov. 23.

The tree is currently in Lake Michigan where it is "chilling" so that it doesn't die before the season, Thompson said.

"This decision has involved months of talking that have lead to the evaluation of what's best for TCU and the program," Thompson said.

The relocation of the tree will lead to a stronger tradition as it opens up to the whole university community, Thompson said.

Kelsie Johnson, student body president, said it would simply not be fiscally responsible to have two trees on campus.

Although there were two trees last year, the tree this year will be even bigger than the one last year. The tree, which is funded by the general Student Government Association programming budget, will stand in the large brick circle of the BLUU Plaza in hopes that the BLUU will be a high-traffic location and make the tree lighting event more successful, with an expected attendance of more than 600, Johnson said. Each student who attends the university pays the annual fee of $25 that goes to the general SGA programming budget.

Johnson said she did not know the tree's price tag. Thompson declined to say how much the tree cost.

Sean Brindley, a senior advertising and public relations major, said he opposes the relocation of the tree because most juniors and seniors live off campus.

"If they move it to the BLUU, I think it takes away from the tradition because it appeals only to the residential part of campus," he said.

Rachel Chambers, a freshman pre-major, said the relocation is a good idea because the BLUU is in the center of campus.

"If it was just at Sadler, I would only see it if I was walking to class," she said.

Cody Simmonds, a junior international communication major, said he understood why the change in location occurred.

"I think the BLUU is going to become the new center of the university, so it was going to happen eventually," Simmonds said.

Kennedy Stewart, Programming Council chair, said the tree lighting ceremony will now take place at the BLUU Plaza where the large tree was last year.

"During the lighting celebration, students will be able to listen to music and even pet a herd of live reindeer," Stewart said.

SGA views the tree relocation as improving the tradition and making it even bigger and better, Stewart said.

Although the annual tradition at Sadler has been a long-standing part of Holidays at TCU, Johnson said she can see both sides of the issue about the relocation of the tree but thinks that students should run with the changes and try it out.

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