Ashley N. Barker

Dr. Steve Emslie, a Marine Ornithology (A branch of biology concerned with the scientific study of birds. It includes observations on the structure and classification of birds, and on their habits, song and flight. knowledgerush.com) and Paleocology (The study of fossil organisms in terms of their life cycle, their interactions, their natural environment, their manner of death and burial. knowledgerush.com) professor at UNCW had the following to say about the fake ducks:

"I don't know why those decoys were put in the lake except perhaps as just being decorative. They may help in attracting real ducks to the lakes, but I think there is too much activity around them for this to happen anyway. Occasionally I do see grebes on these ponds, but not that often."

Jamie Moncrief is UNCW's Coordinator of Photographic Services (a.k.a. the campus photographer). When told that there was a rumor about him putting the fake ducks in the pond for an improved picture background, this was his response:

"That is absolutely hilarious! Thanks for making me laugh so hard...Of course I didn't place the duck decoys into the pond at Leutze Hall...I would have used swans - never ducks."

I never officially asked Dr. Leutze a question about the fake ducks in the pond. His secretary told him that I want to talk to him about the ducks and he came into the conference room, where we met, and began talking. 40 minutes later, I had the following:

Chancellor Emertius Dr. James R. Leutze, was the Chancellor of UNCW from 1990-2003. In that time he changed many parts of campus. He removed a chain length fence around the field beside the baseball stadium, removed a fence that circled a pond by the current recreation center and took out a parking lot that was in front of the library, replacing it with the ponds and clocktower area we know now.

When he had the ponds created there was controversy about if students would play in the ponds and the administration wanted to fence them in. Dr. Leutze did not like the idea so he suggested putting alligators in the ponds and when the administration paniced he readjusted to swans. "I have a playful sense of humor and I say things that you should not take verbatim," he said. The swan idea was axed by the administration as well. As far as the ducks go, Leutze said, "I think it's an urban myth that grew out of my overly enthusiastic attempt to beautify campus."

The former chancellor had a whole series of failed ideas, including: blue bird boxes on campus, lowering the curbs beside roads so that toads could crawl over them easier and not get run over, and in a last ditch effort creating tunnels under the roads for the toads. "There is a variety of wildlife and I viewed it as an attractive part of campus," he said.

The following are quotes from him that are for your amusement and my future story organization:

"I did not put the plastic ducks in the pond."

"I may have suggested it. But, I think it's an urban myth that grew out of my overly enthusiastic attempt to beautify campus."

"People think that anything crazy that happens with those ponds was my idea, that 'he'd do anything'."

"I do not remember when they first appeared."

"I'm glad the ducks are there and I hope they bring in real ducks!"

"Students do things, period. I never took them seriously." (When talking about fencing in the ponds for fear of students swimming, fishing or playing in the water)

When asked to guess who put them there Leutze said, "I think it was a student. We have students that duck hunt and one or a group probably thought it would be funny to throw the decoys in the pond."

I have contacted the following people:

• Will be interviewing Dr. James R. Leutze Wednesday afternoon about the rumor that he had the ducks put there during his time as Chancellor, from 1990-2003.
  
• Robert Warren, Landscape Services Superintendent, who said: "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."
• Dr. Jack C. Hall, Professor and Chair of the Environmental Studies department, knows nothing of the duck situation.
• Dr. James Merritt, Director Emeritus of the Center for Marine Science, also knows nothing of the duck situation.
• Awaiting a response from Dr. Jamie Rotenberg, a bird specialist in the Environmental Studies department.
• Awaiting a response from Tom Freshwater, the Physical Plant director.
  

No one seems to know what's going on with these fake, plastic ducks!