Many WKU students, especially attendees of Gatton Academy, were well acquainted with the white, birdlike statue that once resided in front of Florence Schneider Hall.

Known as “Crane Unfolding” and created by Kevin Box, the delicate, origami-inspired statue was installed in 2008.

In the 2014 fall semester, students may have noticed that one day, the top part of the statue was missing. Later, “Crane Unfolding” abruptly disappeared.

It was determined that on Dec. 6, 2014, students vandalized the statue.

According to the police report, the incident was closed on Dec. 12, 2014, and “WKU Vice President Howard Bailey advised they would not be pressing charges and would handle the damage through Judicial Affairs.”

Chief Facilities Officer Bryan Russell said the top part of the sculpture was removed first and the base removed later. Both pieces are currently undergoing repairs.

“We’ve removed the base and taken it to a fabrication shop in town to put it back together,” Russell said.

He added that they’ve inspected it once and asked the shop to put in some additional work before installation. The base, which is 100 percent bronze, had to be re-bronzed, and then the top and the bottom of the sculpture had to be welded together before repairers could paint it and add the signature paper creases.

The money to pay for these restorations is technically coming from WKU, but it was received from the students involved in the incident, who were eager to help pay reparations.

Russell is optimistic the sculpture will return soon.

“I hope to put it back in this semester sometime,” he said.

Terrance Life, a Gatton Academy senior from Elizabethtown, said he missed the statue but didn’t dwell on it for long, especially since he no longer lives in Florence Schneider Hall.

“I was kinda curious what happened,” Life said. “I was sad it was gone—it was a nice piece of origami—but I don’t go by there as much anymore.”