Reporter
Rowdy the Roadrunner is the beloved school mascot for the CSU Bakersfield campus. An art installation that was made by the art department in his honor sat in Runner Park, unmoving for a while, until recently.
Rowdy has now started to run around campus, appearing in different locations around the school. However, the question on CSUB students’ minds is: who is moving Rowdy?
Many students have noticed Rowdy appearing in different places on campus, but no one knows who is moving him, when he is being moved, or why.
Freshman computer science major Eriel Tan said that it may be student-government related and that they may be behind him moving. He also gave compliments to the art department on campus for making Rowdy.
Associate Director of Campus Programing Emily Poole said that students may be behind Rowdy moving. She also said that the art department might be behind Rowdy moving around campus.
“Maybe the spirit team,” said junior Kinesiology major Kayla Spoonemore. “You see him everywhere. School spirit.”
“I like Rowdy, I like the name, I like the roadrunner,” said senior Jacob Silacci, who is working on his master’s in business and administration.
“It’s exciting, fun (and) bright colors. This specific figurine looks like it’s taken a beating, but it’s kind of cool how they had it where you can ride in it and ride it around. The tongue is kind of funny. I think it’s a good concept.
“It’s a cool idea and I like how they can pedal it around campus and have fun with people rather than just having this figurine that just sits there. Maybe they’re trying to draw interest to new areas or just to see who notices him.”
The Rowdy figure moving around campus has become a kind of game for students as they head to class. Will he be close to my building today? Or maybe he’ll be by the café! Whatever the case may be, many students have noticed that the Rowdy figure has deteriorated from the rain.
“I think it’s ragged. I don’t know what Rowdy’s original purpose was, but he needs to be retired,” said engineering major Josh Alvidrez.
Despite Rowdy’s deterioration, many students believe that he should be revitalized to ensure that he is looking nice and can continue to make his way around campus for years to come.
“There is room for improvement.,” said CSUB student Christian Morales, who was dealing with the rain with Rowdy as he walked to class, “There used to be stuff on his wings that fell off. So he could use a little work.”
The art department made Rowdy and it would be up to the art department to work on him, but CSUB students think this would be a good thing to do for Rowdy.
“I think he should be remodeled, renovated, and updated. He should be more well maintained, but I don’t think you should hide him somewhere again. I think you should still keep him going around, but maybe you should store him at night or have a car cover for him or something,” said Silacci.
The Rowdy figure moving around campus gives students a nice addition to their day as they see him on their way to or from class. To be able to keep Rowdy looking vibrant and able to keep running around campus and spreading school spirit to CSUB students would not only make students happy, but would give the CSUB campus something fun and different to take pride in.
