06-02-2026, 01:43 PM
The Stanford Tree is being changed from the top down, and I think anyone invested in Stanford Athletics, the band, or the university in general should know it.
I'm a member of the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band (sorry if I messed anything up when this is my first thread on here). Here's something posted on Fizz (an undergrad-initiated anonymous social media platform) last night by Ruby, the 46th Tree over the 2024-25 school year.
Here's the situation as I understand it. For about fifty years the Tree has been a student-driven character: each Tree designs its own persona and costume as well as, by tradition, selects its successor. As of a closed LSJUMB staff meeting on June 1, that will end. Going forward the incumbent Tree will no longer choose the next Tree; instead, candidates will be vetted by University administration and other stakeholders. There's also a proposal to make the Tree a team of several students, in line with how other schools like Kal (*gasp*) run mascots.
This decision was driven by potential concerns of harm during the tree selection process colloquially known as "Tree Week." I genuinely believe it's an abundance of caution. But it becomes real icky when the cost of that caution may be what makes Tree the Tree in its irreverence and individuality. I guess students are quick to point fingers towards the Office of Community Standards and the Vice Provost for Student Affairs, Michele Rasmussen.
The most concerning part from my point of view is that this decision was made well above the LSJUMB members and the student leadership. And this is only the latest instance of the University managing the Band and the rest of student life with a heavy hand, something that some have called a "War on Fun." If you want a lot more reading material this afternoon you can refer to all of the following sources:
I don't know which lever that students can pull actually moves this admin any more. The Band's student leadership has had its hands tied by the administration for years. So I'm bringing it to you. Perhaps you all can help if you can write to the Athletics department and the administration and tell them the Tree and all its student-run is appreciable and worth protecting, that having an independent Tree and Band will be essential to the success of our varsity athletics programs and to the university as a whole (that part idk any more).
Thanks for coming to my Ted talk. I really hope that you all share my sentiment that the Tree, the Band, and student life as a whole at Stanford is worth saving.
I'm a member of the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band (sorry if I messed anything up when this is my first thread on here). Here's something posted on Fizz (an undergrad-initiated anonymous social media platform) last night by Ruby, the 46th Tree over the 2024-25 school year.
Quote:not an official statement. i speak on my own behalf as tree 46, ruby.
for 50 years, stanford has had an unofficial mascot. for 50 years the tree has been student selected, created, organized. a true beacon of freedom, fun, and fuckassery. representing every unique and diverse student on this campus in one way—work hard, play way ***** harder.
on june 1st, the band secretly decided to change this. in a closed staph meeting, they voted to have people who have never held this role choose our next of kin. to have multiple people who share a single identity, erasing a value we hold core to our tree practices.
Die Luft der Freiheit weht my ass.
Here's the situation as I understand it. For about fifty years the Tree has been a student-driven character: each Tree designs its own persona and costume as well as, by tradition, selects its successor. As of a closed LSJUMB staff meeting on June 1, that will end. Going forward the incumbent Tree will no longer choose the next Tree; instead, candidates will be vetted by University administration and other stakeholders. There's also a proposal to make the Tree a team of several students, in line with how other schools like Kal (*gasp*) run mascots.
This decision was driven by potential concerns of harm during the tree selection process colloquially known as "Tree Week." I genuinely believe it's an abundance of caution. But it becomes real icky when the cost of that caution may be what makes Tree the Tree in its irreverence and individuality. I guess students are quick to point fingers towards the Office of Community Standards and the Vice Provost for Student Affairs, Michele Rasmussen.
The most concerning part from my point of view is that this decision was made well above the LSJUMB members and the student leadership. And this is only the latest instance of the University managing the Band and the rest of student life with a heavy hand, something that some have called a "War on Fun." If you want a lot more reading material this afternoon you can refer to all of the following sources:
- Daily Op-Ed on the current state of LSJUMB: https://stanforddaily.com/2023/03/09/fro...ts-fund-it
- A letter by the late Robby Beyers, band photographer and alum, regarding the Band's "death by a thousand cuts" from way back in 2017: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/b2sdbenlh...1&e=5&dl=0
- On the Tree's suspension in 2022 holding up a banner saying "Stanford Hates Fun" during a football game vs. ASU: https://www.espn.com/college-football/st...ree-mascot
- Another article on the "War on Fun" that offers a bit more perspective even when it's a bit tilted towards fraternities: https://www.palladiummag.com/2022/06/13/...ocial-life
- The most recent crackdowns on student life document in the Daily, from co-op houses to sex-ed programs: https://stanforddaily.com/2026/06/01/sta...nd-sex-ed/, https://stanforddaily.com/2026/05/20/syn...op-status/
I don't know which lever that students can pull actually moves this admin any more. The Band's student leadership has had its hands tied by the administration for years. So I'm bringing it to you. Perhaps you all can help if you can write to the Athletics department and the administration and tell them the Tree and all its student-run is appreciable and worth protecting, that having an independent Tree and Band will be essential to the success of our varsity athletics programs and to the university as a whole (that part idk any more).
Thanks for coming to my Ted talk. I really hope that you all share my sentiment that the Tree, the Band, and student life as a whole at Stanford is worth saving.

