The Mesquite Online News - Texas A&M University-San Antonio

Cross on university tower prompts debate among students

A&M-San Antonio’s tower was built on land owned by Verano Land Group but was paid for by city money. Crosses on the tower fueled one professor to object in a Nov. 1 article  reported by Melissa Ludwig in the San Antonio Express-News. Publication of the article prompted students to voice their opinions on campus today, both online and in their classes. Photo by Cornelio Ontiveros. 
By Patricia Sierra Barrios and Melody Mendoza

An article on mysa.com, the online edition of the San Antonio Express-News, was re-posted after an error was made about who paid for the tower leading up to Main Campus Building on University Way.

The article, prompted after an objection by adjunct criminology Professor Sissy Bradford, who said the cross on the tower was inappropriate for a university receiving public funding, is prompting students to discuss the significance of religious symbols on the tower that serves as the gateway to a publicly funded university.

Bradford was quoted as saying via email, “Christianity is not everyone’s tower or beacon of hope, nor is the promotion of Christianity the mission of Texas A&M University-San Antonio.”

The article was originally published 3:31 p.m. Nov. 1 and removed later that evening because reporter Melissa Ludwig said the story had completely changed.

Ludwig said she was given mistaken information that Verano Land Group, which donated 700 acres to build this campus, had paid for the tower, but the article posted 11 a.m. today states that “the tower sits on land owned by Verano Land Group but was paid for by city money and will eventually be deeded to the city.”

The article begins: “A cross on a tower marking the entrance to Texas A&M University-San Antonio has provoked protest by a faculty member who says the symbol inappropriately promotes Christianity at a publicly-funded institution.”

The mission-style tower, which has undergone several re-surfacing phases since the fall semester began — the most recent of which was intended to make it appear older than its 12 weeks — is stone-like and topped by a bronze dome. The tower includes the university seal, the phrase “Torre de Esperanza,” or “Tower of Hope,” a small cross on each side and jaguar heads that emerge from two of the tower’s corners.

The orange sunbursts, an element of Verano’s logo, were located above the phrase, “Torre de Esperanza,”  but were removed this morning. Marilu Reyna, associate vice president for university communications, said the removal of the sunbursts didn’t have anything to do with the controversy. “I think they’re just going to make them a different color,” Reyna said.

Many students were not aware there was a cross on the university tower, but when the symbol was brought to their attention, four students sitting together outside the cafeteria at Main Campus said they didn’t see a problem with the cross. When asked what their viewpoint was about whether or not a cross on a tower was appropriate for a publicly-funded university, the students discussed what other questions could be considered, such as “Why the words were written in Spanish?” and “If people were upset with the symbol, should other religious symbols be added?”

The four education students, who did not want to be identified, talked together about the issue.

A senior prompted the question: If it makes people mad then why doesn’t the university put other symbols of religion? She then asked if she should get mad because the words on the tower are in Spanish. “Should we put all the languages on it?”

Another student in the group said, “They’ve (Verano Land Group) donated so much money. I think they have a right to put whatever they want.”

The student newspaper and university facebook pages became forums for debate surrounding issues related to Professor Sissy Bradford’s position that the crosses should be removed from the university tower. 

One student, an education senior, said, “I don’t care about a cross. I just want them to fix the entrance.”

Another student studying on a bench in front of Main Campus believed the cross did not reflect the university’s student population.

Psychology senior Gina Gonzales said although she hadn’t thought about it, she sees why some people might object because of diversity within the student body.

“I would associate a cross more with a religiously affiliated university,” she said, mentioning private universities such as Our Lady of the Lake University and the University of the Incarnate Word.

Psychology senior Rodney Lewis, who was studying in the library, said this university should be neutral because it’s a public institution.

“I don’t think it (the cross) should be on the tower. It’s sending mixed messages,” he said. “If this was a Catholic school then OK, fine.”

He added that this university doesn’t have any religion classes or affiliation, and some people may not feel comfortable with the cross.

“Why have a cross? Why not the Star of David too? Let’s recognize all the religions,” he said.

Reyna was quoted in the  Express-News story saying the cross is meant to evoke the Spanish missions of the South Side.

Today, Reyna told Mesquite reporters that when administrators saw the design, the cross was not on the plans shown. She said perhaps the designer later took artistic liberty to stay within the mission-style theme.

“One thing we are learning is that people do have an opinion about it,” she said. “I know the administration will not ignore it.”

She said they have not officially received any student complaints, but that Dr. Maria Hernandez Ferrier, president of A&M-San Antonio, has an open door policy. Ferrier was not available to comment because she was at a Board of Regents meeting at A&M-College Station.

Psychology senior Rudy Robles said the way the tower was built, he understood the cross was tied into the history of the South Side, which was the theme of the tower.

“I don’t think they’re trying to promote Christianity as a university,” he said. “I don’t see where it’s being disrespectful.”

Education junior Sebastian Cox agreed saying that every building in San Antonio is based on the mission style, adding that, “It’s just a cross.”

Education junior Cricelia Ruiz said, “I don’t see it as a distraction. Personally, it’s just a symbol. If you see it as a religious symbol, that’s your personal view. I wouldn’t see it that way.”

Education junior Sharon Bell-Moses said the world would be a better place with more crosses. “To me, a cross needs to be everywhere. To me, if it’s there, let it stay there.”

The article also prompted discussion on this university’s Facebook page. Seven students expressed their viewpoints with two students on opposite sides exchanging heated comments.  The remaining five students were neutral or did not see the cross as a religious statement.

PLEASE COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE BELOW. TO VIEW OTHER COMMENT STREAMS, VISIT THE MESQUITE-NEWS and A&M-SAN ANTONIO UNIVERSITY FACEBOOK PAGES.

About the Author

Patricia
Patricia Sierra Barrios is a communications major and an education major at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.

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