The Bronze Cocky: An Investment for Who?
In the Daily Gamecock last week, an announcement was made that USC is currently raising funds for a replica of our proud mascot, Cocky, that will be shining in gold. The statue would be located on Gibbes Greene near the Pickens Street Bridge, a common passing area for students and visitors.
Though it is a great way to add both tradition and spirit to our prestigious campus, let's be real for a moment: This statue doesn't do much for the ongoing problems that we still have financially and academically. USC hopes to debut this statue Fall 2013, but dorms have yet to be renovated, parking is a little over the word "ridiculous", and tuition is constantly rising; something that many students are greatly concerned with.
The article in the Daily Gamecock also mentions how the statue would make an attractive tourist spot for visitors, but what it fails to do is bring up the fact that some of those same visitors are prospective students. Those potential future students need a place to stay that is suitable and pleasant for them. With the high levels of admitted students, housing could pose an even bigger problem in the future for all of us. Something like this takes a lot of time management and planning. Even if the idea of a statue for Cocky has been in the woodworks for a while, obviously the current problems of USC are not.
I'm not saying that a Bronze Cocky wouldn't be rad, but we know USC is a wealthy-enough university that has everything known to mankind. Before we go buying diamonds and Big Macs, can we at least pay attention to the more important expenses first? Ones that could benefit the current student body and future generations to come?
Image Source:http://www.sc.edu/news/newsarticle.php?nid=5228#.UKpWu6WHfFI
