The 2009 White House T-shirt's cross-like design has spurred complaints from organizations and alumni, including requests that the shirt be taken off of store shelves.

The university received complaints and requests earlier in the season from organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League -- a group that fights anti-Semitism -- concerning the shirt's design, Penn State President Graham Spanier wrote in an e-mail Thursday.

Spanier wrote that the university did not feel it was appropriate to intervene with the sale of the shirts.

Associate Athletic Director Greg Myford said the athletic department also received a complaint about the shirts but did not consider pulling the shirts off of shelves.

The white shirts feature a vertical blue line down the center of their front and back and resemble the Penn State football helmet. The words "Penn State White Out" are written horizontally across the top two-thirds of the line on the front, and "Don't be intimidated ... It's just me and 110,000 of my friends" is written across the majority of the back.

The shirt was designed by student Emily Sabolsky -- who could not be reached for comment by press time -- in a contest sponsored by the Collegian's business division. Penn State students voted for Sabolksy's design from a slate of other proposals.

Sabolsky's resume, posted on her personal Penn State Web page, lists her as a senior majoring in public relations and minoring in Jewish studies.

Many students noticed the design's resemblance to a cross.

Greg Plumb (junior-neuroscience), when asked if he had seen the 2009 White House shirt, replied, "The giant cross?"

"I thought it was a little bizarre," he said. "I think it's certainly something to consider for future White Out T-shirts, but what's done is done."

John Shoemaker (senior-information science and technology) said his mother originally pointed out the cross shape on the T-shirt. He said he did not feel the image was worth complaining about.

"There are plenty of things that look like crosses when you look at them," he said.

The shirt is not currently in stock at the Penn State Bookstore. Myford said the shirt sold extremely well and that student participation in last year's T-shirt design contest was at an all-time high.

But some students refused to buy the shirt on the premise of religious connotations.

Michal Berns, Hillel president, said she did not purchase the shirt because of the design.

"I know I wasn't the only one," Berns (junior-media law and policy) said. "As Hillel, we're not going to complain. I don't think we have a right to say what [the university] should or shouldn't be doing, but in my personal opinion I think it looks like a cross."