The Whale has been removed. As students prepared for finals week, some noticed that a campus landmark was missing. A statue of a whale located by Faunce Student Services, known to students as âThe Whale,â disappeared seemingly overnight. The Whale had an important place in the folklore of Western Michigan University. A popular student legend says that those who step on the Western seal outside Waldoâs Library are doomed to fail their classes unless they pour a cup of water from the Waldo fountain over the statue. Paula Davis, a university spokesperson, revealed that the installation was removed on Friday, Dec. 11 as it was âfalling apart to the point of being problematic.â