DECEMBER 2012

The Student Affairs Diversity Council (SADC) strives to culvate an environment that embraces and promotes the broad scope of diversity within the division.

The Diverse Holiday Traditions of Student Affairs

We recently asked Student Affairs staff to share their In the Perkins Family, we honor my wife's Chinese holiday tradions with our readers. The following are heritage by preparing from scratch Chinese pot the received responses. sckers. My wife mixes the meat and vegetables, I knead the dough, my son rolls out the dough for skins, my daughter and I cut the dough for wrappings and we all wrap them. Then, the best part, we steam and eat them! We've been doing this for the 38 years of our marriage and I don't see it stopping any me soon. They're just too good! Roger Perkins Veterans Support Center

My partner and I celebrate Bodhi Day (a holiday celebrang the Buddha’s enlightenment) and Christmas by focusing on service and generosity. Every year we try to find ways to make a difference in the lives of others. Our goal is to ease some of the suffering that is found in the world, and of course, to Christmas Eve Caroling in Romania spread lots of love and joy. Our efforts usually involve Photo submitted by Nelly Divricean donaons of me, money, and/or collected items towards one or more causes. When we share gis with each other, family, and friends we oen focus on a One of my favorite Christmas tradions from Romania shared experience together (such as dinner), is the Romanian Christmas Carols. On Christmas Eve, consumable items (food, snacks, wine, etc.), a Christmas carols and other carols with religious origin donaon on someone’s behalf to a cause that they are sung all night long. The act of going through the would appreciate, and somemes a purchased item village or neighborhood, from house to house, singing that benefits a humanitarian effort. carols in exchange of tradional Romanian treats, it is Michael Bard a very old tradion. Usually, the host invites the carol‐ Registrar’s Office singers in the house, around the table for delicious food. One of the most loved tradional dishes is the The Sco family’s guest book has a diverse collecon sour cabbage leaves stuffed with ground pork and of names in it. We invite internaonal students (oen served with sour cream, called “sarmale”. from Cross Culture Club and conversaonal English Nelly Divricean classes I/we have taught) to celebrate with us by Internaonal Center reading the Christmas story (and acng it out with a (Continued on page 2)

(Continued from page 1) navity set!), singing, and feasng! Our table is laden with turkey, stuffing and a * tradional fresh cranberry salad, but the side dishes represent the cuisine of our guests … from Japan, Korea, Turkey, China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and more. Everyone tells us they have loved learning, sharing, and (of course) eang together. Lifeme memories! Julie Sco, Internaonal Center

Interfaith Family Blends Elements of Two Tradions By Lauren Weitzman, Counseling Center together and with the family ornaments from my husband’s childhood. We all enjoy spending me just As an interfaith family, our holiday rituals blend gazing at the tree, smelling the pine scent and elements of Hanukkah and Christmas. Depending on enjoying the play of our blue lights against our the ming of Hanukkah, you’ll find a lit menorah and a favorite ornaments. Foods of the season reflect my Christmas tree co‐exisng in our living room. husband’s Scandinavian and German tradions and include Julekage (Norwegian holiday bread) with The menorah is the jetost (caramelized goat centerpiece of our cheese), herring and Hanukkah observance. flatbread, and if we are We add a candle for lucky enough to have my each of the eight nights brother‐in‐law in town, of Hanukkah, placing Swedish meatballs and the unlit menorah in savory cabbage on the window during the Christmas eve. day and saying the Hanukkah blessing These tradions represent each evening. We love the different faiths in to watch the mul‐ which we grew up and our colored candles burn openness to finding down, waing for the personal meaning in each tendril of smoke as other’s holidays. As the each candle exnguishes. We always have latkes Jewish member of our family, I sll grumble when I (potato pancakes) with applesauce and sour cream as can’t find Hanukkah candles and wrapping paper a special Hanukkah dinner. We share one Hanukkah easily in the stores, but I’ve come to enjoy the annual present with our son on most nights, maintaining my hunt for just the right Christmas tree and stocking family’s Hanukkah tradion of hiding the present in a stuffers. I also experience the privilege of celebrang different room of the house. Our Christmas tree is Christmas, which was not the case for me growing up. the focus for our Christmas observance. We select a My son enjoys both sets of rituals and our blended tree together as a family, and take great pleasure in holidays have helped him connect with our respecve trimming it with ornaments that we have collected family tradions while creang something that is over the years from special places we have visited uniquely ours.

A Student Affairs Fesvus for the Rest of Us, Since 1999! By Whit Hollis, Union Director Fesvus tradions:

The Union switched our holiday celebraon from ‘Treats The Fesvus Pole ‐ The Costanzia’s' tradion begins with a around the Tree’ to Fesvus in 1999. Fesvus is a very bare aluminum pole, which Frank praises for its "very high inclusive celebraon and is more in keeping with the strength‐to‐weight rao." During Fesvus, an unadorned Union’s mission of being a aluminum pole is displayed. The welcoming place for all pole was chosen apparently in students, staff and faculty. opposion to the commercializaon of highly Fesvus is a non‐ decorated Christmas trees, denominaonal holiday because it is "very low‐ featured in an episode of maintenance," and also because Seinfeld. According to the holiday's patron, Frank Seinfeld, Fesvus is Costanzia, "finds nsel distracng." celebrated each year on December 23, but may be The Airing of Grievances ‐ At the celebrated at other mes. Fesvus dinner, each parcipant We celebrate it the last tells friends and family all of the instances where they working day before the holiday break. Its slogan is "A disappointed him or her that year. Fesvus for the rest of us!" We celebrate and visit with our University Friends and colleagues in preparaon for the The Feats of Strength ‐ The head of the family tests his or Holiday Season. her strength against one parcipant of the head's choosing. Fesvus is not considered over unl the head of the family This year Fesvus will be held in the Union Lobby on Friday, has been wrestled to the floor and pinned. A parcipant is December 21, 2012 from 9am to 11am. All are welcome to allowed to decline to aempt to pin the head of the family join us! only if they have something beer to do instead. December: A Month of Celebraon for Many Tradions Bodhi Day, Dec. 8th final night. (more) The Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that the historical Buddha experienced enlightenment. According to Winter Solsce/Yule/Alban Arthan/Yaldā, Dec. 21 tradion, Siddhartha Gautama had recently forsaken years Winter Solsce is the me at which the Sun is appearing at of extreme ascec pracces and resolved to sit under a noon at its lowest altude above the horizon. It is the Bodhi tree and simply shortest day and longest night of the year. meditate unl he found Worldwide, interpretaon of the event has the root of suffering, and varied from culture to culture, but most how to liberate oneself Northern Hemisphere cultures have held a from it. (more) recognion of rebirth, involving holidays, fesvals, gatherings, rituals or other Hanukkah, Dec. 8‐16 celebraons around that me. (more) The eight‐day Jewish holiday, also known as Yule is a celebraon of the return of the the Fesval of Lights, light at the me of the winter solsce. Yule commemorang the is a religious fesval observed by the rededicaon of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in historical Germanic peoples and some neighboring Jerusalem at the me of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd peoples, before later being absorbed into, and equated century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and with, the Chrisan fesval of Christmas. (more) days. The fesval is observed by the kindling of the lights of a nine‐branched Menorah or Hanukiah, one addional light In the Druidic tradion, Alban Arthan is a seasonal fesval on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the (Continued on page 4)

(Continued from page 3) increasing number of non‐Chrisans, and is an integral at the Winter solsce. Alban Arthan translates to Light of part of the Christmas and holiday season. (more) Winter. On the solsce, druids would gather by the oldest mistletoe‐clad oak. The Kwanzaa, Dec. 26—Jan. 1 Chief Druid would make The African American holiday celebrated from his way to the mistletoe to December 26 to January 1. It is esmated that be cut whilst below, other some 18 million African Americans take part in Druids would hold open a Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, nor is sheet to catch it, making it meant to replace Christmas. It was created in sure none of it touched the 1966 by Dr. Maulana "Ron" Karenga, a professor ground. With his golden of Black Studies. At this me of great social change sickle, and in one chop, the for African Americans, Karenga sought to design a Chief Druid would remove celebraon that would honor the values of ancient the mistletoe to be caught African cultures and inspire African Americans below. The early Chrisan who were working for progress. church banned the use of Kwanzaa is based on the year‐end harvest fesvals mistletoe because of its that have taken place throughout Africa for associaon with Druids. (more) thousands of years. The name comes from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," which means "first fruits of Shab‐e Yaldā is the Persian Winter Solsce celebraon the harvest." Karenga chose a phrase from Swahili because which has been popular since ancient mes. Yalda is the language is used by various peoples throughout Africa. celebrated on the Northern (more) Hemisphere's longest night of the year. Depending on the shi of the calendar, In terms of diversity, which issues have students learned about Yalda is celebrated on or around more/become more aware of since starng college? Religion and December 20 or 21 each year. Yalda spirituality ranks second.* has a history as long as the Mithraism religion. The Mithraists believed that this night is the night of the birth of Mithra, Persian angel of light and truth. At the morning of the longest night of the year the Mithra was born. (more)

Christmas, Dec. 25 Christmas is an annual holiday celebrated by billions of people worldwide that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. A feast central to the Chrisan liturgical year, it closes the Advent season and iniates the twelve days of Christmasde. Christmas is a civil holiday in many of the world's naons, is celebrated by an * Data for both graphs is from the Profile of the American College Student, U of U Data, 2008.

Debra Daniels, Co‐chair Women’s Resource Center Trisha Jensen, Orientaon & Leadership Development Kari Ellingson, Co‐chair Student Development Suzanne Jones, Registrar’s Office Michael Bard, Registrar’s Office Carol MacNicholl, Center for Disability Services Kajsa Berlin‐Kaufusi, Center for Learning Abroad Kai Medina‐Marnez, LGBT Center Arlyn Bradshaw, Dean of Students Office Susan Miller, Campus Recreaon Karen Cone‐Uemura, Counseling Center Sana Muller, ASUU Branden Dalley, Union Administraon Sam Orz, Student Nelly Divricean, Internaonal Center Rachana Patel, Office of Admissions For more informaon and Kris Fenn, Bennion Center Cynthia Powell, Student Health Center recourses, please visit: Eduardo Galindo, ASUU Student Valery Pozo, Career Services Adrienne Howell, TRiO Erica Rojas, Financial Aid & Scholarships sadc.utah.edu Nedra Hotchkins, Graduate Student Claudia Snow, Union Administraon Sco Jensen, Housing & Residenal Educaon

University of Utah Student Affairs Diversity Council • Michael Bard • [email protected] • (801) 581-3736