Ashley N. Barker

So far this entire blog has been devoted to the fake ducks of UNCW. However, there are a lot of other quirks that need to also be examined. I have made a list of the ones that I am most interested in below. If you have any more ideas post them! I want more!

• Who is Sammy C. Hawk under the costume?

• Why is there only one soap dispenser in many of the women's bathrooms on campus? If there are four stalls, four sinks and four paper towel dispensers, than why aren't there four soap dispenser too?

• Who actually enforces the spirit rock rules? Rumor has it that once you paint the rock no other organization/club/Greek can touch it. But, who actually watches it and disciplines the violators?

• Why are the chairs in classrooms so uncomfortable? Many have absolutely NO padding and after a long lecture, butts are not appreciative of them. Who picks them out? They need to be fired!

• East Carolina University just recently banned all chalking on sidewalks. Could that be in UNCW's future? Chalking is a popular form of advertising for many organizations; how would they change if it was banned?

• Why does that restaurant building on S. College Rd. seemed to be cursed? You know, the one right beside Taco Bell, that has been so many different restaurants I can't even begin to count. It's been an ice cream place and steak place in just the time I've been here. Why does everything else on S. College Rd. seem to flourish but, this building seemed cursed?

• Why does campus flood so easily? Rumor has it that UNCW used to be a swamp and then became a tree farm before becoming a university. The swamp is supposedly the reason it floods so easily. But, is that just a myth? What was this land like before students inhabited it?

• What's the deal with the squirrels here? They don't seem to care that students walk right beside them. They almost seem domestic.

• Why do the construction workers on campus (and there seem to be thousands of them) think that part of their job requirement is to yell obscene things at the girls who are just trying to walk to class? Is that really necessary?

Any more ideas/comments? Let me know! :-)

I was walking near the pond where the ducks are afloat the other day, when to my surprise several students behind me began talking about the ducks. They originally thought the ducks were real, one student becoming aggressive in his debate that he had really and truly seen head movement. But, after a second glance they all agreed that they were plastic, not beak and feathers. Then they systematically began naming the ducks -- Bob, Dillon, Fred and naturally Sammy -- and commenting on the variety of colors these ducks ranged in. I heard one girl say, "That's a fake blue duck. Where do blue ducks come from?"

Her color comment caused me to wonder even more. Someone has made the decision to put the ducks there, but someone also had to go out and buy these fake ducks. Who chose to buy the blue ducks? There are several traditional, natural-looking fake ducks in the pond, but what's up with the blue ones?

For everyone that is still curious about the duck situation, know that I am working on finding out what's up with them. I have contacted two Physical Plant staff members.

I am waiting for a reply from Tom Freshwater, the Director of the Physical Plant. His job responsibilities include: "four major sections: Physical Plant Administration, Maintenance and Operations (Trades Shops), Landscape Services, and Housekeeping. These sections provide maintenance and repair, grounds maintenance, housekeeping in designated facilities owned by the university, and related administrative processes. " So it says on the "Meet the Staff" page of the Physical Plant's website, here: http://www.uncw.edu/ba/physicalplant/staff.htm.

I have received an e-mail reply from Robert Warren, the Landscape Services Superintendent. His job is much more centralized around landscaping services only, which should include the ducks. However, his reply was of know help or interest:

Good afternoon Ashley,
I have no reason for the duck decoys to be in the Commons pond. I assume or guess that someone possibly a student had decoys that they thought would add to the aesthetics of the pond or that they may draw additional wildlife to the area. The decoys presently do not cause a problem with the function of the pond and I have not received a request to remove them. I also have not noticed any additional water fowl in the area. Good luck on the story and if I can be of future assistance give me a call.
Have a great Homecoming weekend,
Robert Warren

The area around the ponds in front of Morton and Leutze Halls is one of many beautiful parts of our campus. It has several benches, tables and grassy lawns to sit on, in the shade, and enjoy nature. There are a variety of blooming plants, squirrels that scurry up pine trees, turtles that peek their head above water, and there are, on occasion, real ducks and geese that like to bathe, play or find food in the ponds.

However, last semester there was a new addition to this peaceful, natural habitat of creatures. Fake, plastic ducks were set afloat in the ponds.

There are different theories behind why these ducks were put there. One reason could be that UNCW wants to stop real ducks from flocking to these ponds. Real ducks living in the ponds could cause more work for the people maintaining the area, such as cleaning feces and feathers. The fake ducks could cause the real ducks to want to move on to somewhere else.

Another theory is that the fake ducks are supposed to attract more ducks to the area. If the real ducks see the fake ducks (that do actually float around in the pond, not just stay in a fixed location) they may think they are real and also take up residence. This theory would include that UNCW wants the area to have more live animals to observe, like the current turtles and squirrels, and appear to be more natural.

More questions arise from this situation, like who put them there and who made the decision to do so? Was it the landscaping or maintenance department? Was it the environmental studies department? Was it some random student? Over the next few weeks, I hope to answer these questions and put an end to UNCW's fake ducks quirk.