Cornell’s Decorating Rules: You Can Put Up Anything You Want As Long As It’s a Snowflake

Cornell’s Decorating Rules: You Can Put Up Anything You Want As Long As It’s a Snowflake - FIRE
Cornell University’s Department of Environmental Health & Safety recently issued fire safety guidance for holiday decorations with sensible prohibitions against hazards such as “combustible decorations” and burning candles. 
...restrictions on free expression can pop up in the strangest places. 
Sure enough, the final section of the guidance veers off from physical safety into rules apparently designed to ensure some kind of ephemeral, emotional safety.

...Cornell’s commitment to diversity and the University Assembly guidelines:

GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSIVE SEASONAL DISPLAYS

Winter Holiday Displays/Decorations that are Consistent with Cornell’s Commitment to Diversity and the University Assembly Guidelines:  

• Snowflakes  
• Trees (in accordance with Fire Safety Guidelines) decorated with snowflakes and other non-religious symbols

Winter Holiday Displays/Decorations that are Consistent with University Assembly Guidelines But Should be Basis of Dialogue Within Unit or Living Area  

• Trees decorated with bows, garland and lights (in accordance with Fire Safety Guidelines)  
• Wreaths with bows (in accordance with Fire Safety Guidelines)  
• Combination of snowflakes, (in accordance with Fire Safety Guidelines), Santa Claus figure, and dreidel  
• Holly

Winter Holiday Displays/Decorations that are NOT Consistent with Either University Assembly Guidelines or the University’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusiveness

• Nativity scene  
• Menorah  
• Angels  
• Mistletoe  
• Stars at the top of trees  
• Crosses  
• Star of David

Cornell is a private and land-grant university, but it professes a “deep commitment to academic freedom and a belief that such freedom is essential to creativity and innovation.”...