The Undergraduate Student Government Senate, in an attempt to increase school spirit at Penn State, has adopted a measure that investigates the feasibility of maintaining a living mountain lion as Penn State's school mascot. While the senators who passed the resolution may have meant well, keeping a mountain lion on campus and on display is hardly a practical, safe or ethical way to increase school spirit.

Holding, maintaining and caring for any wild animal requires people with knowledge, training and experience. When the expense of such personnel is added to the cost of upkeep of the animal's natural environment and space for a habitat, the new mascot suddenly becomes a potential fund-drainer. If one considers the fact that the University Park Allocations Committee ran out of money for funding organizations by mid-semester, such a cost seems both unnecessary and impractical.

Besides impracticality, there are safety issues, both for people and the mountain lion. Mountain lions are not cats. They are much more likely to attack small children than to curl up in people's laps. People who live, work or hike in areas where mountain lions live are advised to keep children close at hand. Hikers are instructed about ways to avoid being attacked. Mountain lions can and have hurt people, and that's an issue USG must keep in mind.

There are also a variety of concerns about the animal's own safety and well-being. Mike Fedor, USG town senator, said in a letter to the editor that the animal could be used to educate the public and the Penn State community about wildlife issues. However, caging wild animals for any purpose not only creates problems (often these animals refuse to eat), it is considered cruel by some people and could reflect badly on the university.

On the other hand, some senators suggested establishing an endowment in order to care for mountain lions at zoos or animal reserves. This would be a good compromise and a good idea. If used as a class gift, it would allow students to leave a legacy that would connect the mountain lion to Penn State. A mountain lion endowment would also be an appropriate environmental cause for Penn State while boosting school spirit — provided Penn State had the money for it.

The idea of including a mountain lion at Penn State athletic events isn't completely outlandish, but spending time debating an action like this or looking into the feasibility of keeping a mountain lion at Penn State trivializes the purpose of USG. Senators were elected to represent the students. For them, that means solving legitimate problems. Perhaps USG should spend the valuable time and energy it's using on this legislation on issues that more students seems worried about — parking, housing, or security, among others.