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iKL if ** W w - FRANCES MICKLOW | TANARUS R> * Black ▲ A menorah sits on an information desk at the Tate Center. Director of Tate Jan Barham said she wanted all student groups represented. WE Decorations aim to include all groups ► From Page 1 subscribing to a different religious view are impressed with the progress. Tawfiq Bhuiyan, a fourth-year from Salt Lake City, said the decorations don’t inconvenience him, even as a Muslim student. “I’ve been in the U.S. quite a while,” he said. “It is a Christian country and has religious freedom. I understand. The decora tions don’t really bother me.” Next year, Bhuiyan said he hopes the University will place more emphasis on the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which will help students learn about his faith. Jewish students, such as Mara Price, a fourth-year from Martinez, also feel the University is approaching a more inclusive horizon. “We had a huge candle lighting ceremony at Tate with hundreds of people, both Jews and non-Jews,” Price said. Finding a religious group without representation is difficult, but Barham encourages those feeling underrepresented to voice their concerns. One group remains largely ignored, however secular students. The pres ident of the UGAtheists, Randall Bourquin a fourth year from Suwanee, said he LOCAL BUSINESSES HELPING YOU SAVE MONEY! GET BIG MONEY FOR TEXTBOOKS (go oil campus & get the most cash) LOTS OF FREE PARKING • CONVENIENTLY LOCATEO • ROOKS • SUPPLIES ■ BULLDOG GEAR Sell Your Books For More it's super easy with our convenient Drive-Thru! Text us to find out the value of your book Text the ISBN(s) of the textbooks you want to sell back to: (706) 206*4940 Top of Baxter Hill * 548-9300 ocbs.com • dawgwear.net estimates 20 percent of the University population to be religiously unaffiliated. Although the decora tions don’t follow his par ticular views, he is not offended. “The decorations are a good display of holiday cheer. I’ve always liked the holidays. It’s what one would expect in a good way,” Bourquin said. The University doesn’t have any type of banner commemorating these stu dents, but Bourquin isn’t pointing fingers at anyone. In fact, the diversity of the display pleased him. “It’s no fault of the University because no one from the secular communi ty has come out and said, ‘We celebrate this,’ because there is no cause for cele bration of the Winter Solstice,” he said. “I don’t think we are being slighted by the University, and I am very happy that more holi days besides Christmas are being represented.” Bourquin hopes the University will also honor the secular students with the Tree of Knowledge —a symbol for the group. In good holiday spirit, the decorations aren’t mak ing Grinches out of many, and, as Barham pointed out, the increased flow of traffic may be evidence the decorations are making Kris Kringles out of us all. COSTS OF CARPET Jan Barham, director of Tate, offered details and explana tions for the new carpet that will be installed in Tate 2 over win ter break. “It may not be the popular thing carpet’s never sexy —but it was something we needed to maintain for the students,” she said. Why does the carpet on the fifth floor of Tate 2 need to be replaced? The carpet has been damaged by gum marks, stains and day-to day foot traffic. Janitors have already tried cleaning the carpet with machines and by hand. “Most of it is big stains. There’s a section that’s bright pink,” Barham said. “Wte've cleaned and cleaned and cleaned.” Will the new carpet last longer than 18 months? Why? Barham anticipates the new carpet will last about five years. The new carpet will not show stains as easily because it is a darker color. Since it is a tiled carpet, indi- jyWfftA IV New Fall Colors! patagonia Everything for the Dawg Great Prices on Dawg Stuff Shirts • Shorts • Caps • Mugs • Hoodies • Jackets Sweats • Frames* and so much more! BAXTER STREET BOOKSTORE www.dawgwear.net (the best Bulldog gear web site on the planet!) 3 60 Baxter St. (across from the dorms) 706-549-3081 *3^ k. r ;; ‘V. VB, NEWS vidual squares can be replaced If they get stained. They can also be removed and pressure washed. Unlike the carpet they have now, which is textured and harder to clean adequately, the new car pet will be flat. Tiles cannot be used in the Grand Hall because it causes bad acoustics, and the room is often used for shows and speeches. What was the price of the original carpet? The carpet for the fifth floor of Tate 2 cost $106,384.15 when it was installed. Barham said she and others who selected the carpet tried to get the best quality for the best price. How much were bids from other companies for the carpet? The first quote, from Dalton Carpet, would have cost about $150,000. A second quote, also from Dalton Carpet, would have cost between $86,000 and $106,000. Dalton Carpet has no affiliation with the University. Ralph Johnson, associate vice president of the Physical Plant, lli Jr JSi Finals Edition The Red a Black | Wbdnbsday, December 8, aoio HBBBSSi 188 flfl B W ® .4a S Spßslß SW MK j*g s fp| iff |g§ ’SSI 111Bp BB K jggpjtg H gjfnMMßft jmrank MHgSk jHH Wr W® Bb *^ nw ■ ■ miMB SMIIA att 0% & K J mu Ifftlin IT¥TDllilHvi Itplite' said the new carpet will cost $104,499. Why weren’t students involved hi the decision to get new carpet? SGA and the dean of students are in the process of creating a Student Life Advisory Board, but since it wasn’t in place yet, Barham said they decided to go ahead with the replacement. “I think there’s a dear need for the replacement,” she said. “We have a responsibility as adminis trators to maintain this space.” Briana Gerdeman PHOTO BY FRANCES MICKLOW |T* K.n Sun 5