At the opening of Wallis Annenberg Hall—the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism's new homebase—students, employees, and alumni alike wondered: Why is there a large brass pole in the back on the media center? 

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In just two short months, a wealth of rumors have swirled around this object. Construction crew members think it's a tribute to 9/11, while others think it's a metaphor for journalism. Student Rafael Garcia guesses that it's for lazy students who don't want to take the stairs, while alumna Carol Komatsuka thinks it's for students to react to breaking news.

Whatever the lore, Associate Dean of Operations James Vasquez has a more definitive answer: Wallis Annenberg herself asked for it as an element of fun for those who are working in the media center. 

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