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For most members of the class of 2009, this final academic semester is either a mad rush to fulfill remaining requirements or a nerve-wracking transition into the real world and the job market. But for fifth-year senior Etienne Ma '09, the biggest challenge ahead is simply choosing a concentration. Ma, now alarmingly close to graduating with a degree in "Undecided," has adamantly refused to declare his concentration since the conclusion of his sophomore year.
"I came to this school because there were no requirements," Ma explained. "So this whole concentration deal sounds like a major violation of the Open Curriculum to me."
Ma, who claims he has "shopped everything from Orgo 2 to Russian Lit," maintains that he is totally unsure where his interests really lie.
"It's all pretty interesting, so I just have a really hard time focusing on one thing, you know?" he said. "But this just means I'll be a better-informed citizen, right?"
Administration officials say they see the situation in a different light.
"Mr. Ma absolutely cannot graduate without declaring a concentration," said Dean of the College Katherine Bergeron. "There is really no way around it."
But Ma's peers struck a different tone.
"There are a lot of ways around this here at Brown," said Henry Harding '09, Ma's current housemate. "He could even make up his own bullshit major in Leisure Studies or something. But I stand by him on principle."
Harding and other students collaborated to create a Facebook group in Ma's defense, which Dean Bergeron herself lauded as "a complete waste of time." Member Katie Thompson '11 opined, "I mean, Brown's all about choosing your own path and stuff, but that's, like, really hard sometimes. I think I prefer the part where you do all the academic exploration."
Alexandra Vasquez '10 expressed similar sentiments. "I had a really tough time choosing, so I feel fortunate that I was able to construct my own major," she said. "I think Biopolitical Literary Psychology is really going to help prepare me for what comes after college."
"Etienne actually has enough credits to fulfill the requirements for an Economics concentration," noted Professor of Cognitive Science Louis Smith, Ma's arbitrarily assigned concentration advisor. "All he really has to do is give us permission to write it on his diploma."
But Ma said he was unprepared to make any concessions.
"Why get a degree in Econ when I can get a degree in everything?" he responded. "It's so difficult to decide on just one thing, and I'm really concerned about placing intellectual limitations on myself. Besides, I would never have taken 'Mars, Moon, and the Earth' if I thought I'd have to concentrate."
Harding said he thought Ma would win out in the long run.
"When it comes down to it, he's still paying over fifty grand a year to go here," said Harding. "Personally, I'm willing to fight for his right to throw all that money away."
