Tree at the Root of Debate

By Mike Caputo

For decades, a majestic American elm stood outside Moore Library. When it was dying in the mid-’90s, a tree was incorporated into the University’s new logo, and in many minds, the elm lived on in everything from publication covers to truck logos.

Last week, when the Student Government Association (SGA) noticed the tree was missing from highly visible new signage on Interstate 95, an uproar ensued.

“We are totally dumbfounded because how are we going to establish tradition if it is swept from underneath us?” asked senior Paul Harding, SGA community outreach chair.

The issue of administration phasing out the tree, which many see as an image of the 86-year-old elm that was removed in 1997 because of disease, came up during a discussion about traditions at Rider at the Student Government Association’s (SGA) Senate meeting held on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

In 2004, the SGA passed a resolution requesting administration to keep the tree on identification cards and to consult students on future matters pertaining to logos and symbols representing Rider. According to Harding, the students were not informed of the new sign like the resolution requested.

The resolution, passed on June 6, 2004, stated “Be it further resolved that the Rider University Student Government Association recognizes the need for an ad-hoc tri-partite committee to be developed to investigate a possible need for a new symbolic image that will embrace our lush history, prestigious present, and our promising future.”

After the resolution was passed, the tree remained on identification cards. But during the past semester alone, the tree logo has been taken off not only signs, but also some Public Safety vehicles, lecterns, business cards and other items. On official academic catalogs, the logo has not been used as prescribed since 2000-2001.

SGA called an emergency meeting on Thursday, Nov. 10, to discuss the situation and to possibly pass a new resolution. At the meeting, Jonathan Meer, vice president of development and head of the marketing committee involved with logo changes such as the new signage, said Rozanski took responsibility for not paying attention to the 2004 resolution.

“Rozanski did not recall seeing the piece of legislation,” Meer said. “And when it was put in front of him he said, ‘You know what, this office did receive this piece of legislation and I obviously did not take notice of it, and I screwed up.’”

Harding acknowledged the overall feeling of Senate after finding out that the resolution was not carried through.

“For some reason or another we slipped [the administrations’] minds this time around,” said Harding.

Meer promised at the meeting that more students can be involved in the committee and the word of the students will be taken much more seriously.

Jamie O’Hara, vice president of enrollment management, stressed in an earlier interview that the new sign projects — the I-95 billboard and a new main entrance to be installed soon, most likely within the next month — are not attempts to totally phase out the tree.

“The tree is going to a part of Rider for a long time,” said O’Hara. “It’s just not going to appear in every place that it has appeared before. It’s not going to appear on the signs, but moving forward — how it appears and where it appears — there will be student input on that.”

O’Hara mentioned that along with the marketing committee, the University is receiving consultation from an external firm, Chermayeff & Geismar, who have worked with company logos such as NBC’s peacock.

According to Walt Brower, dean emertius who wrote about the history of Rider, the logo that included the tree was implemented in the early 1990s. He said that if the logo had dated back to when the campus moved from Trenton to Lawrenceville in 1959, it might have been considered a tradition, but the changes to the entrances that are being made now are actually needed.

“I think our entrance is blah right now. Very blah,” said Brower. “I think we can do better than what we have there. I think this is a decided improvement.”

The SGA drafted an updated resolution at the emergency meeting, but it is still waiting to be approved. Students, like sophomore Theresa Androvett, believe that the current debate over the tree goes beyond politics and is a much more personal matter for students.

“The tree reminds me of coming onto campus on my first day,” said Androvett. “The tree will always remind of me of Rider wherever I am.”