Rumors have been circulating around campus that the University is making the WRC pool salt water. This has sent UNI students into a frenzy, as many are confused and even upset about the rumored change. UNI student Hugh Nicol, frequent pool user, is particularly concerned about this change.

“I go and swim in the pool every day from 1:15 to 1:47, and it is one of the best parts of my day. Unfortunately, I am not going to be able to do this anymore since they are apparently changing it to salt water. I swallow the chlorine more than I care to admit already, and do you know how much worse that would be if it’s salt water?” 

Upset about the salt water or not, UNI students have now been given an answer to this puzzling rumored change. The pool is now officially going to be changed to salt water, and it is happening to welcome a new finned friend to campus. Starting on July 6, 2025, the beginning of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, the WRC will have Jeremy the greenland shark as a visitor. Jeremy will be on campus that whole week, and UNI President Mark Nook seems to be excited about the visit.

“We are very excited to bring Jeremy to our campus for Shark Week. The summers are quiet here on campus, and I think that this would be a great way to bring students back around for a week in the summertime.”

The whole pool will transition to salt water for Jeremy, but he will only be moving around the bottom half of the deep end. Swimmers will be able to swim above him, enjoying the view with no fear of being eaten. There will be a net keeping him secured down below. At 24 feet long and nearly 2,000 pounds, this does not seem like much space for him to swim around. President Nook is confident this will work, however, and even thinks the university could make it work long term.

“I think that the accommodations for Jeremy will be great, and that his visit will be a smashing success. If things go well enough, we have already talked about potentially keeping Jeremy around long term.”

At 23 years old, Jeremy would certainly have a chance to spend a lot of time as a member of the UNI community. Greenland sharks can live up to 500 years, so if President Nook gets what he wants, Jeremy could be a staple at this university long after we are all gone.