During Homecoming Weekend, students may hear two official fight songs instead of just one.
At its meeting Monday, the Undergraduate Student Government discussed moving to support changing “Ay Ziggy Zoomba” from the unofficial fight song to an official fight song in two weeks. USG members will vote to approve a resolution instating “Ay Ziggy Zoomba” as a fight song at its next meeting, Sept. 9.
Sophomore Justin Kohler thinks the change would be good.
“It’s certainly well known enough so the change wouldn’t catch people off guard,” Kohler said. “I think it’s a great idea, everyone knows it and the hand motions.”
However, sophomore Dylan Hess is fine with the song, regardless of the status.
“I’m not opposed to it,” Hess said. “But why fix what’s not already broken?”
Off-Campus Senator Matt Mazur, who brought the resolution to USG, wants to make it clear USG doesn’t want “Ay Ziggy” to replace the current fight song, “Forward Falcons,” but rather have them both work side by side.
“We acknowledge that it is a delicate exchange to go from old to new traditions,” Mazur said during the meeting. “[We will] let ‘Ay Ziggy Zoomba’ serve alongside ‘Forward Falcons.’”
Student Affairs chair Nic Puccio was in support of the resolution.
“It’s not going to be degrading for ‘Forward Falcons,’” Puccio said in the meeting. “I like the thought of getting a second fight song. We don’t have a lot of school traditions, so let’s make more.”
Junior Kelly Heher shares Puccio’s support of the change.
“I’d like it,” Heher said. “It is played at all the games so it’s definitely something the students know and hear.”
Senor Associate Dean of Students Jodi Webb believes the intent is positive for the students.
“I give them credit for getting the resolution ready for the first meeting and how well they did it,” Webb said. “[Students] identifiy with ‘Ay Ziggy Zoomba.’ Most of our students often think it is the official fight song. I am expecting much discussion and debate about this in the next meeting.”
USG president Alex Solis can remember three different times where the song was requested to be played instead of “Forward Falcons.”
“It would be well deserved,” he said.
Academic Affairs chair Jeff Devereaux also showed support for the resolution during the meeting.
“‘Ay Ziggy’ is intact with the history of the University,” Devereaux said. “It has been more than just a fight song, there are now Ziggy Points this year, we have programs and events named after this song.”
Mazur started talking about the change in July.
“It’s so common to hear, if we aren’t telling people about the ‘Forward Falcon’ being our official song, people automatically think ‘Ay Ziggy’ is.”
Mazur plans to work with Solis and David Neely, USG vice president, to help move the resolution forward.
“We are hoping to make this happen and unveil the news at homecoming,” Mazur said.
Solis is excited about the possibility.
“We don’t want to ignore the official fight song,” he said, “but rather have them both official.”
