Editorial: Do not harrass the swans

Staff Editorial
April 8, 2004, Page 4

The recent conflicts with the swans have prompted Residence Life to issue $500 fines to students caught harassing them.
While students should not taunt the swans, often times a swan becomes defensive simply because students walk by.
Students need to be able to cross the bridge by Hansen Hall in order to get to the Communications or Lied Science and Mathematics Building. This isn't harassing them, but the swans still get riled up when people walk by.
Students have added to this problem by throwing things and teasing the swans. But it's not just students who are to blame.
Crete children have also been seen tormenting the swans and causing them to swim rapidly up to shore. The Crete community and the Doane community both need to respect the swans.
The reports of swans attacking students beg the question "Why keep something that causes a nuisance?" The swans do create a picturesque scene for anyone walking along Doane Lake. They are beautiful creatures.
But is creating a mood more important than students’' safety? Some students don't like the swans and have no problem expressing this opinion.
The people interviewed for Question of Week all seemed to dislike, or at least be wary of, the swans. Other students have agreed that having to walk around the swans is a nuisance. The swans sometimes attack those who do not provoke them.
One solution would be to move the swans while they are nesting. The swans would be gone for about two months and would return in time for graduation. Not only could the swans nest in peace, but students could get to class without planning alternative routes.
Another solution would be putting a temporary fence around the lake to keep the swans and students separated. Then the swans wouldn’t bother students who are just trying to walk to class, and the students won’t contemplate creating recipes for swan cordon bleu.
No matter what solution the administration comes up with, the fact remains that something has to be done. Until a solution is found, students should take caution.