The proposal for the placement and design reconstruction of the Hornet Sculpture was submitted for approval by the Associated Students yesterday afternoon.

If the proposal is approved by the administration, the Hornet Sculpture will be placed in front of the College Center 200 Building. The design chosen by A.S. and Inter-Club Council will consist of a 24 feet tall hornet fabricated in aluminum with glass inserted colored wings and a bronze body and base.

The “Hornet Refurbishment Project”, as A.S. Treasurer Brain “Alex” Trigueros referred to it, would cost an estimated budget of $15,000, not including installation costs.

The funding would be covered by the A.S. Wish List funds from one of their maturing certificates of deposit from the Orange County Credit Union. An additional $1000 will be taken from the Wish List and cover additional expenses. Donations to help fund the project have been received from construction company CW Driver for $1000 and Inter-Club Council for $300.

“This is a great project we (A.S.) unanimously approved to propose to the chain-of-command (administration),” Trigueros said. “Hopefully in December we will have the project approved and get it up and running in the spring.”

He went on to comment that the Hornet Statue was removed and stored away about a decade ago to make way for FC Construction Projects for the new library, College Center and Quad renovation which is why very few students know of its existence.

The sculpture has a rich history and is iconic to Fullerton College according to Dean of Fine Arts and co-coordinator of the Centennial Planning Committee, Robert “Bob” Jensen.

“The idea to bring back the Hornet came three years ago after alumni kept asking, ‘Where is the Hornet?’ ” Jensen said. “They are disappointed by its absence and want it returned to the Quad because they feel it has an iconic value.”

Jensen noted that this is a work in progress project and that nothing will go into motion until it is presented to Fullerton College President Rajen Vurdien for approval. Jensen hopes the project can be completed by April 26, 2014 for the Under the Stars: Fullerton College Legends Gala, a keystone event of the Centennial celebrations.

The original Hornet Statue was unveiled on the Thursday morning of June 11, 1959. The ceremony consisted of a ribbon cutting and a speech by sculptor Carroll Barnes.

The $6000 statue stood at 25 feet tall in the northwest corner of the Quad where the library now resides. The body consisted of fiberglass and wood along with aluminum and Lucite wings with three poles for support made out of aluminum and enforced with steel.

For nearly 50 years the statue stood leaving its legacy in the Quad until it was removed for Quad renovation. Unfortunately the accurate date of removal cannot be located in archives but it is known that the Hornet was the first thing to be removed when the Library construction began.

“It is a beautiful sculpture and a staple of our school that we are determined to get back so the staff and students can enjoy it like those before us,” Trigueros said.