The long-awaited Wildcat statue found its place on the east patio of the SURC this week.

The statue has been in the works since the beginning of the academic year. The project was conceptualized and pushed through by the Student Government and headed by Rob Lane, vice president for student life and facilities.

As reported in earlier stories by the Observer, the total cost of the statue was $73,826, which was significantly cheaper than the staggering estimate of $160,000 given by Lane earlier in the year. The deadline to secure funding for the sculpture was Dec. 12. The sculptor chosen was Matthew Gray Palmer, who has experience doing similar projects for other universities.

Justification for the statue was to create an iconic focal point on campus where students could gather for photo opportunities and boost the name-brand of Central.

Other universities have similar displays. Western Washington University has a fountain, Gonzaga has a bulldog statue, Washington State University (WSU) has a cougar statue and the University of Washington has a large W sculpture.

The student body has voiced opposing opinions ranging from excited to confused.

Freshman psychology major Alyssa Butler favors the idea of a fresh attraction on campus because of the excitement it might bring for incoming students.

“I think it’s really cool. I like how big it is,” Butler said.

Freshman education major Morgan McNutt said, while she likes the idea of the statue, she believes the positioning of it is awkward.

“I think it’s cool, but the way it’s standing is kind of weird. I like the idea of a statue, but I don’t like the one they picked,” McNutt said.
Many students voiced concerns over the usage of funds.

“Did we vote on this?” sophomore musical theater major Jala Harper said. “That money could’ve been spent on a new football stadium so that we could have night games or on academics or events.”

Kaleigh Krehbiel, freshman psychology major, agrees with Harper.

“I think the money could’ve gone somewhere else where it would’ve been more productive than just a statue,” Krehbiel said.

Some students also expressed that they found that statue underwhelming.

“I expected it to be way bigger,” Harper said.

Nathaniel Addison, junior Japanese and theater major, believes that the statue was an unnecessary expense.

“I didn’t think the school really needed it,” Addison said. “It’s only decoration, it does nothing for the academics.

Freshman music major Marina Fields would prefer the statue to resemble Central in a more unique fashion.

“I think it looks more like a cougar than a wildcat,” Fields said.

Alex Thiongo, sophomore aviation management major, also said he feels it looks quite similar to WSU’s statue. Nonetheless, he is appreciative of the artwork.

“I hope no one spray paints it. I think it’s a beautiful sculpture to represent the school mascot,” Thiongo said.

Kevin Porter, senior economics major believes the statue “represents the ferocity that is Central Washington University.”

“The craftsmanship is commendable,” Porter said.