TheThe Observer VolumeObserver VIII, Issue 4 Southern New Hampshire University Thursday, December 13, 2001 The meaning of Ramadan, Chanukah A new face By Tania Arroyo and Christmas News Editor With back erect and head By Bindu Rai held high, she walks confi- (Reprint) dently into her office in the School of Liberal Arts. She ex- udes grace. Its not easy be- The holidays are around ing the new Dean of Liberal the corner, bringing festivi- Arts, but Dr. Roberta Salper ties and a time for families to is proving to be an asset to bond and share in the love and SNHU. laughter. This month there Born in Boston, Massachu- are three religious festivals setts Salper first dreamed, at back to back. 14, of being a ballet dancer. Ramadan is the holy month Then at 17 she decided to be- of fasting for the Muslims; this come a bilingual journalist. forgives them for sins they Greatly influenced by her have committed. Chanukah is cousin, the first woman in her the Festival of Lights, which family to have a PhD, Salper is celebrated by the Jews. The realized women had the abil- Christians celebrate Christ- ity to attain a higher educa- mas in honor of the birth of tion and she chose the same Jesus Christ. fate for herself. She went to Ramadan starts every year, Boston University where she ten days earlier than the year majored in Spanish with a mi- before. It commences on the nor in art history, and later night of the full moon and ends received her masters and PhD on the next full moon one in Romance Languages and month later. Ramadan, one of Literature at Harvard. the five pillars of Islam, has to Salpers first job was at the be celebrated by every Mus- University of Pittsburgh as lim. Earlier, Ramadan was cel- assistant professor of His- ebrated for more than thirty panic literature. Later, she days, but according to the became assistant dean of the Holy Quran, the Prophet College of Arts and Sciences Mohammed rose to heaven there. It was during this time and pleaded with Allah to she created one of the first shorten it to one month. The Photo by Nick Coates womens studies courses in Muslims are allowed to eat Children smiling aboard a float at a holiday parade in Exeter, New Hampshire. the country. In 1971, as vis- only after sunset and must victory of Judah Maccabee sacred olive oil. This could turned blue so that Marys iting professor at San Diego stop their eating after sunrise. over the Greek-Syrian dicta- light the lamp for only one blue robe would blend in. State College in California, Daytime brings their time to tor Antiochus, who was try- day. Miraculously, the one Since then, evergreen trees Salper set up the first full pro- fast, when even water is not ing to Hellenize the region cruse of oil burned for eight have maintained their color gram of womens studies in the allowed. It is a test of their will by dictating peoples language days and eight nights, hence all year round. Christmas United States. power to control their hun- and customs. Many Jews re- the Festival of Lights. candy is the shape of a j for see SALPER, page 3 ger. The Muslims observe Eid sisted and fighting com- Christmas is celebrated in Jesus and a shepherds cane. following Ramadan, sacrific- menced, lasting for seven full swing every year with The white is there for purity ing goats and donating food years. Finally, a group of Christmas trees, candy and and the red stripe symbolizes and money to the poor. young fighters led by the mistletoe. But how did these the blood Jesus shed. The Chanukah is celebrated on priestly Hasmonean family traditions originate? Legend mistletoe has long been con- the 25th day of the month of came forward. The Maccabees has it that evergreen trees sidered the soul of the oak and Kislev on the Jewish/Hebrew overcame the Syrian army maintain their green color regarded as a sexual symbol. calendar. The celebrations and won the battle. The Jews because when Mary, Joseph In the Middle Ages, it was continue for eight days and finally returned to Jerusalem and Jesus were on their way hung on doors to ward off evil eight nights and end on the only to find the Holy Temple to Egypt, they had to conceal spirits and witches. The kiss- second day of the Hebrew in ruins. The Temple was re- themselves from Herods sol- ing tradition, though, origi- Photo by Nick Coates month of Tevet. The Jewish stored to its proper order. The diers in a clump of cedar trees. nated from the Greek festival day starts at sunset and that Jews then proceeded to light To hide them, the trees of Saturnalia. The mistletoe Dr. Roberta Salper takes a is the first night of Chanukah. the Holy Light, but they could brought forth green needles was said to give fertility and break from judging portfolios. The holiday celebrates the find only one jar of pure and and the cedars white berries have life-giving power. Snhews Opinion A&E Sports Index Check out this Has security A Sneak Peek of Penmen hockey Snhews..........2-3 start up issues Campus changed at Logan Manchesters Civic Opinion.........4-5 Security Log airport? Center their season A&E...............8-9 Page 2 Page 4 Page 8 Page 12 Sports...........11-12 Page 01.P65 1 12/11/01, 7:04 PM Black the observer snhews December 13, 2001 2 Inter-Greek Council Campus Security Log faculty forum formed the student he was was upset and regret what I Compiled by Kara Dufour By Marcos Carvalho Co-Editor in Chief being documented and he did. It was reported that the FundraisingThe IGC needed to leave campus. The driver was sincere. Contributing Writer holds fundraisers to obtain the Date: 11/30/01 student then stated he had to The Inter-Greek Council money needed to host its Time: 10:30 see his friend before he left to Date: 12/2/01 held a faculty forum in the events. get his wallet and money. The Time: 21:15 Last Chapter Pub on Nov. 20. Rush Rush is a recruit- At the above date and time, PSO again told the student to The purpose of the forum was ment period held each semes- the registrars office received leave campus. He then said At the above date and time, to increase awareness about ter by every organization; a phone call from a graduate he had his friends keys. The PS received a call from a resi- the Greek community, rush lasts for the first month student. The student used PSO told the student to leave dent of Kearsage. The caller strengthen the relationship of each semester. During the vulgar language in an attempt the keys at the gate. At this reported that his neighbors between the faculty and the rush period, IGC conducts a to get his transcript (exple- time the student answered his owned a cat and that the own- Greeks, and to address con- rush event for the purpose of tive deleted), this school cell phone and said to the ers of the cat fling its drop- cerns raised by the SNHU fac- meeting potential new mem- (expletive deleted), I want my caller he had to leave and he pings out of their window. ulty. The IGC executive board bers. The rush events are (expletive deleted)grades. couldnt give him his keys. Public Safety advised the resi- began the forum by address- open to the whole student SAS also received a phone call The PSO told the student to dent the complaint would be ing the following topics: population. and similar language was have the caller meet them at passed on. In checking the The purpose of the Community Service used. the gate house and he could callers information it was dis- IGC-To foster fraternal coop- Community service projects return the keys there. The covered the student did not eration, promote the inter- are an example of the prin- Date: 12/1/01 student responded that he was live in Kearsage. ests of the University, super- ciples of brotherhood and sis- Time: 00:10 going to call President vise fraternal conduct and re- terhood on which the organi- Gustafson about this and got Date: 12/2/01 solve any conflicts that may zations were founded. They At the above date and time, in his car and left. No further Time: 22:00 arise. are also a means for the orga- while standing in the Quad two action was taken. Leadership throughout nizations to give back to the PSOs observed a male stu- At the above date and time, the Greek community- community in which they dent carrying an open 18- Date: 12/1/01 Public Safety responded to Each year, Greek presidents live. This calendar year alone pack of Miller Light Beer. One Time: 17:00 Chocorua Hall at the request and the IGC executive board the entire Greek community of the PSOs caught up to the of an RA. The RA stated a attend a Leadership Confer- has completed over 1000 individual and IDd him. The At the above date and time, strong odor of marijuana was ence held by the Office of Stu- hours of community service. individual said he was a com- a vehicle stopped at the front coming from a room and dent Organizations and Lead- New-member educa- muter and he was signed in gate and a female driver asked wanted PS to perform a health ership.