AS hopes for statue of Bucky the Bronco
By Richard Nieva
Bucky the Bronco is one of the things at the top of Associated Students' priority list this year.
AS is proposing the purchase of a large bronze statue of a bronco for the campus, said AS President Austin Woody.
It would be a catalyst for a lot of realistic positive by-products, he said, including raising school spirit, giving students something to rally behind and creating a really strong campus tradition.
But because a high quality statue would be out of AS's annual budget, they are first focusing on planting the seed for the idea, he said.
"I think right now with all the development around campus, this is the perfect time to start that conversation," said Woody.
AS will proceed by first talking to the administration, then raising the money by appealing to members of the Board of Trustees and alumni.
In these early talking stages, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Life Matt Cameron showed support for the idea, citing sporting traditions at other universities that revolve around a statue -- like all the players all touching a sculpture before going out onto the field.
AS has already mentioned the idea to a few trustees during a lunch with board members, getting them excited about the prospect of a statue, said both Woody and AS Financial Vice President Bill Pluto.
This will be a long-term project for AS, taking at least a year or two, said Woody, who added that they will make sure it is on the top of the next administration's platform.
A statue like the one they envision would cost anywhere from $250,000 to $500,000, said Pluto, and logistical details still need to be worked out -- like deciding on a size, location and whether it will be externally commissioned or commissioned by a student artist through the art department.
The idea came from a task force assembled to help AS decide how it was going to spend its large surplus amount of $14,872, which came from AS's carry forward funds -- unused money from last year's administration's annual budget.
Even though the idea stemmed from the task force, AS never intended to spend any of its carry forward funds on the statue project.
Instead, AS used the money to request three new computers, new chairs and barriers for their office, new poster paints to be used by student organizations, game day banners that read "Game Today" to be displayed in Benson, and a school spirit and marketing project.
Ideas that were deemed unfeasible included a new running track around Bellomy field or hammocks to hang up around campus, he said. "That's not the ultimate philosophy of these carryover funds," said Woody.
There are strict guidelines student organizations must adhere to when spending carry forward funds. Purchases must fall into one of four distinct categories: computers, technology, equipment or vehicles, said Cameron.
These funds are typically only $500 or $600, which makes it easy to buy just one computer or a few chairs. Cameron described this year's AS funds as "an anomaly."
The AS requests are still pending approval by Cameron and Vice Provost for Student Life Jeanne Rosenberger, who will probably make their decisions by the week of Nov. 5, said Cameron.
Contact Richard Nieva at (408) 554-4546 or rnieva@scu.edu.