Only a few items are specifically prohibited, she said – live Christmas trees, for instance, are not allowed because they are considered combustible. For the rest, the university reserves the right to determine what is and isn't appropriate.,”

As soon as November rolled around, Campus Town West resident and College of Arts & Sciences junior Lauren Demshar and her roommates wasted no time adorning their room with strings of lights, a nativity-themed music box and two Christmas trees, one of which sings.

But a light-up reindeer in the window? According to university officials, that simply won't fly.

It was this decoration in the window of Demshar's living room that drew an e-mail from the building manager saying that while the reindeer was a nice touch, it was also a safety hazard and a lease violation, and needed to be taken down.

Demshar said the request was a polite one, and that she didn't mind taking down the reindeer.

"It is in the lease we agreed to," she said.

So which decorations are on Marquette's naughty list this year? According to Stacie Dooley, assistant dean of university apartments and off-campus student services, the answer depends mostly on safety.

Only a few items are specifically prohibited, she said – live Christmas trees, for instance, are not allowed because they are considered combustible. For the rest, the university reserves the right to determine what is and isn't appropriate.

"Safety is always our primary concern, particularly fire safety, but cleanliness, taste and effect on the community may also factor in," she said.

In the e-mail sent to Demshar, Campus Town West manager Andrew Louis cited a section of her lease that says tenants may not cover or obstruct any window.

"Although (the lights) look very nice and festive, they cannot be used in the University Apartments because they are a fire hazard," said Louis in the e-mail.

Dooley said students looking to decorate their rooms should always use caution when dealing with lights and electrical equipment, follow the directions that come with their decorations and exercise common sense: Use extension cords and lights that are in good shape, don't run cords under rugs and don't plug power strips into other power strips.

And students should be prepared to take down and clean up any decorations they used when it comes time to move out, she said.

She also said the university isn't looking to play Scrooge.

"We certainly don't go looking for decorations to take down," she said.

Kelsey Kowalewski, a resident assistant in Straz Tower and a College of Arts & Sciences junior, said holiday decorations in her building are going strong, with floor lounges filled with everything from colored lights to paper snowflakes to plastic snowmen.

The strictest prohibitions are on cords running under doors, which may suffer wear and tear, anything hanging from sprinkler heads and any open flames, she said.

Artificial trees are permitted, she said, and doors may be decorated with lights around the outside as long as the cord is plugged into a hallway outlet.

Dooley said the rules for residence halls are essentially the same as those for university apartments, and that policies regarding holiday decorations have not undergone significant changes for several years.

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