Aitken house

infobox University
name= Aitken House


image_size = 160px
established= 1958
rooms= 52 double
city= Fredericton
state = NB
country= Canada
motto= "In Magni Dominus Umbra" (In The Shadow of a Great Man)
website= http://www.unbf.ca/housing/reslife/Aitken [http://www.unbf.ca/housing/reslife/Aitken Aitken House] is a Canadian all male residence, located on the University of New Brunswick's Fredericton campus. It was established in 1958 and has since been a prominent member of UNB's residence community. The house holds many traditions such as their Club Med beach party, their house dance to the song Shout by the Isley Brothers, and their house cheer. Aitken House is the only residence at UNB to have their own alumni association, and has recently celebrated it's 50th reunion.

History

In the Winter of 2007 UNB Residential Life & Conferencing Services decided that due to a lack of enrollment in residence, they would close Aitken House and attempt to sell it to the University to be turned into an academic building. Although the residence community had seen many buildings come and go throughout it's lifetime, the residents and alumni of Aitken House were not ready to let it go without a fight. The majority of the residence community showed their support to keep Aitken House alive through painting red A's in their windows, flying banners, and attending meetings. There were also those who supported reslife's position and the campus newspaper's letters to the editor section was filled with controversy every week. Throughout the remainder of that academic year the supporters of Aitken, appealed at many meetings to stop the sale of the house. But to their dismay they were unable to stop it along the way. It progressed all the way through to the UNB Board of Governor's (BOG) Meeting. A step that is usually just a formality. Coincidentally mirroring events in the movie many of the house's traditions are based, "Animal House". Traditionally only the members of the BOG are allowed to be present during a meeting but they allowed the house to make a presentation as to why the residence building should be spared. As the members of the BOG entered the Wu Center for their meeting they were greeted by Aitken House residents and supporters mainly from other residences at UNB; all lined up beside each entrance. The meeting went on for hours and everyone went to wait for the final word back at Aitken House. For the first time in UNB BOG's history, a decision was overturned and the House was saved!

House Traditions

House Cheer
A-I-T K-E-N H-O-U-S-E, (clapping)
AITKEN HOUSE, AITKEN HOUSE, (clapping)
FOREVER LET US HOLD OUR BANNERS HIGH, HIGH, HIGH! (raise fist in air on each HIGH)
A-I-T K-E-N H-O-U-S-E, (clapping)
AITKEN, AITKEN, AITKEN, ALRIGHT! (raise fist in the air on ALRIGHT)

House Sports

Aitken house competes in many of UNB's intramural athletics. Every year you can find the house at such sporting events as: Soccer, Softball, Co-Rec Softball, Baseball, Flag football, Volleyball, Co-Rec Volleyball, Indoor Soccer, Basketball, Water Polo, Ball Hockey, Ice Hockey, and Co-Rec Ultimate Frisbee. Aitken house always has a good showing at each sporting events. There is also a team of Aitken alumni still attending UNB who enter the intermurals under the title of Scattered Animals.

Presidents

2008-2009 Simon "Castle" Pearn
2007-2008 Brian "Trooper" Beadette
2006-2007 Evan "Hurtin" Green
2005-2006 Artigas "Nelly" Cruz
2004-2005 Nathan "Poncho" Hewitt

Man of Aitken

2007-2008 Brian "Trooper" Beadette
2006-2007 Artigas "Nelly" Cruz
2005-2006 Morgan "Captain" Elsemore
2004-2005 Nathan "Poncho" Hewitt
2001-2002 James Shannon

Dons

2007-2008 Felipe Shum
2006-2007 Felipe Shum
2005-2006 Lauren Rogers
2004-2005 Lisa Sharpe

References

http://www.unbf.ca/housing/reslife/Aitken/
http://www.unbf.ca/housing/reslife/aitken.htm
http://campusrec.unbf.ca/intramurals.html