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Admin puts nix on prophylactics
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Not many people know the classic holiday tale of the condom Christmas tree. One faithful winter, a few Boise State Maintenance employees decorated the Plumbing Shop (located near the Liberal Arts Building) with a three-foot high Christmas tree. In place of garland, they decided to decorate their tree with lights and brightly colored condom packets.
The tree stood in a shop window for a year and a half. A few weeks ago, the employees took down their condom tree at the request of Boise State Human Resources.
According to Executive Director of Human Resource Services Jane Kinn Buser the tree violates Boise State policy because it may cause other employees to feel uncomfortable.
“We took action as soon as we became aware of it,” Buser said.
Buser explained that in other situations, such as the condom dispensers in the residence halls, Boise State’s “anti-harassment” policy is not being violated. The Boise State Policy Manual is available on the university’s Website.
“This isn’t about the availability of condoms [.] but about how the university offices and work stations should appear, and how the work environment should be reflected,” Buser said.
Originally, the tree did not have condoms on it; it was decorated with brass fittings. The condoms were added when a member of the plumbing staff got married. The tree served as a wedding gift.
The tree stayed in the office on the employee’s desk, and then on a filing cabinet near a window. This made the top foot of the tree visible to passing students. The employees left the tree decorated with both condoms and Christmas lights.
Plumber Joe Waters explained that condoms are colorful, and cost less than Christmas decorations.
“I just put a lot of lights around it thinking ‘Hey, this is great!’” Waters said.
Although the tree is a cause for laughter around the office, the maintenance staff is not trying to suggest anything by displaying the tree.
“We weren’t putting it up as saying, ‘Have sex over Christmas,’” Waters said. “It’s just something colorful we hung on the tree.”
Director of Facilities, Operations and Maintenance Steven Swain made it clear that the tree does not express the standards of the department.
“It wasn’t appropriate for a university office to have,” he said.
Inspecting the shop for things like this is not part of a routine, Swain said, but he is “always alert for those types of things.”
Boise State freshmen Ashley Duyer walks by the window three to four times a week and said she has never noticed the condoms.
“I just kind of thought it was a cool Christmas tree,” Duyer said. “I didn’t look that closely.”
The maintenance staff donated their condom Christmas tree to the Health and Wellness Center. It is currently on display in HWC waiting room.
COLBY STREAM
News Writer
