Super senior times ... nine?

The New York Times last week ran a front-page article on Johnny Lechner -- an undergraduate in his 12th year at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater who doesn't plan to graduate any time soon. Although he has earned enough credits to graduate with four majors, Lechner has never applied for graduation. Not only that, but companies like National Lampoon are supporting the super senior by paying his tuition, hoping to capitalize on his image as a figurehead of the party-hard philosophy. \nLechner has done reasonably well in school, earning a 2.9 cumulative grade point average, and fellow students deny he parties as much as he claims. Whether or not the image is an authentic one, the man who refuses to leave college for the real world is attracting a frenzy of media attention and for no good reason.\nCompanies that "sponsor" Lechner portray him as a mythical figure to be admired. He has done what no man has dared to do but what all men wish they could do apparently: stay in college and party forever. Lechner is a modern-day Peter Pan, living off donations and plastering Neverland with advertisements for his sponsoring companies. \nTo someone dissatisfied with life in the real world or scared of entering it, Lechner is a convenient role model. By putting Lechner and his lifestyle on a pedestal, National Lampoon and media resources are doing their part to discourage students from making the leap into the "real world." \nThe college student to be admired is the one working to make sure the often terrifying leap into adult responsibility is a successful one. The fact that Lechner has managed to avoid growing up is not inspiring or even very funny. It's a shame.\nThat's not to say that those who take longer than four years to graduate are irresponsible or negligent. The IU Bloomington Factbook doesn't list the percentage of students who graduate within six years instead of four. The shift from thinking about college as a four-year experience reflects the growing number of students who work themselves through college with part-time jobs or other major commitments, preventing them from taking on a heavy course load in any one semester. Major extracurricular involvement and study abroad experiences, both valuable supplements to college education, prevent some students from graduating on time as well. \nOften, students who graduate a semester or two late do so after adding on an additional major or minor. Many of those who stay an additional semester or year are actively working toward a degree with post-college plans in mind. The super senior trend is becoming the norm. But the norm doesn't justify additional years as goals in themselves. \nCollege is a unique experience. At no other time in our lives will we have an opportunity to devote our attention to so many diverse intellectual and social pursuits. If we have made the most of our college experience, at the end of four years -- or five -- students might be sad or scared at the prospect of leaving IU. But if we stop at college, so does our capacity for intellectual and emotional growth. As Lechner celebrates his 30th birthday next year on the UW-Whitewater campus, he should ask himself what he's learned so far. It's about time he learned to grow up.