School of Engineering and Computer Science
The Rock
Each layer of paint tells a story. What does the first layer say? How many layers are there? The Rock in front of the School has been an important piece of Pacific’s landscape for over forty years. Every day, the Rock is introduced to prospective students during campus tours, and every night its latest color scheme is up for grabs. Students and alumni alike recognize the Rock, but few are aware of the history behind it.
The Rock found its way onto Pacific’s campus one St. Patrick’s Day in the 1960s. Two creative engineering students, Marc Goto ’61 and Fawzi Al-Saleh ’62, wanted to make their mark, so they drove to Placerville, loaded an enormous boulder into a truck, and upon returning to campus, positioned it in front of the building now known as Khoury Hall. Very little thought was put into the placement of the Rock however. 
According to Goto, the Rock was so heavy that “where it landed, it stood.” After it was positioned, students gathered for a water balloon fight and a picnic.
In later years, engineering students made the Rock’s presence official by creating a circular structure around the Rock. Check out these pictures below from 1985:
Upon arrival to campus in the 1960’s, the Rock was painted green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but it wasn’t until years later that students began painting the rock on a regular basis. Today, the Rock’s appearance is constantly changing. On any given day it may display Greek letters, announce a birthday, make a political statement, or advertise an on-campus event. According to University Tiger Lore, the Rock can only be painted between midnight and 5 am. Campus organizations, clubs, and sports teams often send new members to paint the Rock in the middle of the night, and stand guard to protect their handiwork. The students of the 60s probably never imagined that a Rock they brought to campus as a lark so many years ago would someday become a central part of Pacific and a source of entertainment for generations of Pacificans to come.
In addition, the Rock was so heavily used that Pacific brought a second rock to campus (the rock located in front of the President’s Room) to provide additional painting space. In honor of this tradition, the School of Engineering and Computer Science has named its annual alumni newsletter “The Rock.” When you receive your copy, be sure to check out the top right corner where a new photo of the rock is included in each issue!
Click here to view an archive of past rock artistry!