In the face of funding woes, San Jose State University is struggling to deal with its squirrel overpopulation.

The massive amounts of ground squirrels that scurry around SJSU wreak havoc on building foundations, which makes their population control conveniently necessary. Normally, the ground squirrels are caught in traps and released in areas where they can readapt. However, with budget cuts limiting school resources, the SJSU administration was forced to adopt a less labor-intensive solution.

For the past two years the school has been poisoning squirrels to manage the overpopulation, according to San Jose State’s Daily Spartan.

SJSU is currently looking into safer methods to deal with the squirrel infestation in a more humane manner, but the more humane option is pricey.

Clearly, SJSU realizes that having squirrel corpses all around campus is bad for publicity. Despite that effort, it seems they’re missing the benefits of having squirrels frolicking through campus, chewing on building foundations.

Why get rid of the squirrels when they can embrace them?

Imagine the possibilities. Encouraging an environment that celebrates the squirrel infestation would be an excellent turn of policy for the administration, one that could move SJSU forward.

Forget the San Jose State Spartans, a pretty cliché mascot, and welcome the brand new San Jose State Squirrel Horde! No longer will Sammy Spartan’s goofy, big-mouthed grin warm the hearts of loyal friends and infuriate hated rivals. Instead the new mascot, consisting of a throng of students in squirrel costumes, will awe fans, players, and peanut vendors.

Without dealing with the costs of getting rid of the mammals, campus grounds could evolve into some kind of wildlife reserve, giving SJSU students a unique college experience that could potentially increase admission demand. And even if the rodent population does inflate to incredible numbers, it will just prompt a response from nature, like a swell in squirrel predators, equalizing things. The squirrels could potentially create a complex system of catacombs beneath campus where they can multiply to their tiny hearts’ content, out of sight and out of mind.

A move like this could create immense media buzz, stimulating much needed publicity. University administrators can use that publicity to spotlight their budget difficulties, bringing heightened awareness of state schools’ funding crises.

It is an unnecessary expense to trap and release the SJSU squirrels. Their presence should be embraced and, more importantly, used to generate publicity for the university.