Reporter

Rowdy the Roadrunner has stopped dead in his tracks in front of the Science buildings on CSU Bakersfield campus. After the Runner ran the story about his hide and seek game on campus, Rowdy came to a stop for an unexpected reason. With questions of who is moving Rowdy still on our minds and with Rowdy stopping his movement, new air has breathed into the mystery of who is moving the figure. To this reporter’s relief, Rowdy has not stopped because of the story previously printed and he will move again.
The Rowdy figure in question is a large chariot made to look like Rowdy the Roadrunner, CSUB’s beloved school mascot. Aside from some wear and tear, many of the students on campus have started to love the figure ever since someone started moving him at the beginning of the year. Students have noticed Rowdy appearing in different places mysteriously overnight in a game reminiscent of “Where’s Waldo.”
However, recently Rowdy has stopped moving as much as he used to, appearing to only move a few feet every few weeks or so, which is uncharacteristic of his usual movements around campus. In order to find out why, the people who may know who is moving Rowdy had to be asked. The Art Department and student government were the first suspects, but sadly both were dead ends. Sarah Vanderlip, Art Department Chair, said that she was not involved with the project, but is “interested in making a new one or repairing it.”
Several students within the ASI office also said that they had no involvement with moving Rowdy and they were curious about who is moving him as well.
That led finally to the Spirit Program on campus. Seeing as the mascot is a big part of school spirit and any sort of interesting thing happening around campus involving the mascot can raise some school spirit, it was not too far of a stretch to say that the Spirit Program may be involved.
Arthur Smith, however, says that this is not quite true.
“Yes and no. I’ll be honest and say that there are times where I know where it’s going to be and then there are other times where it is random,” said Smith.
Smith said that the movement of the Rowdy figure is meant to be playful and help students notice the figure because before not many students did. The figure moving around campus is meant as a game for students to see where he is and where he will be. Although he does know who the individuals are who move Rowdy around campus, he has said that he will not be disclosing that information.
“It’s kind of a fun thing for me as well. I’ll look for it and kind of see where it’s at,” said Smith.
“The individuals that (move the figure) just haven’t done it lately and not to necessarily disclose who it is, but I would say that some of the members are students and so they’ve just been focusing on their classes,” said Smith. “It’s just really been a timing thing.”
Smith also said that students should be on the lookout for where Rowdy will be next and that there may be possibly plans for a contest involving finding Rowdy on campus and students should also lookout for that possibility in the future. He also said that any students interested in portraying Rowdy in the future should come by his office in the Student Union Room 138 and talk to him.
While overall school spirit has been increasing, the Rowdy figure has done his part to entertain the students by being moved on campus. Although students may not have noticed at first, students are now noticing and are enjoying the mystery of who is moving him around and the surprise of seeing him in a new place. While the people who are moving Rowdy still remain a mystery, this reporter is happy to know that he may start to move again once the busy schedules start to clear up and a possible restoration for him might be in his future.