Controversy has erupted on the campus of Tufts University in recent weeks as a result of an effort by several students to “Make Tufts Less Quirky.” Quirkiness, a quality that Tufts students hold almost too near and dear to their hearts, has been seen by a small group as too defining of their class. This notion has inspired the “Students Advocating Against Quirkiness” (SAAQ) campaign to defend students’ right to express themselves as “unquirky.”

“Quirkiness” is an integral part of Tufts University’s Admissions efforts and marketing. The term has been used an average of 63 times per admissions brochure, 91 times per admissions web page and 341.5 times per on-campus tour since students first latched onto the term in the year 1852. When asked how they would promote Tufts without the word, a spokesperson for the Admissions office stated, “I honestly don’t know. We’d probably just write ‘Tufts is pretty cool. Apply here, I guess.’ I’m really at a loss for how we could describe the student body without the word ‘quirky.’”

The spokesperson for SAAQ, Kyle LaBoof, gave the following statement regarding the organization’s goals and progress in their effort. “Every time I mention that I go to Tufts, someone will say ‘Oh, you’re so quirky!’ in a mocking voice. I just want it to end,” said LaBoof. “I don’t think of myself as a particularly quirky guy, and neither do my fellow SAAQ members. In fact, I consider myself pretty damn boring, and I want people to understand that. But no one will sign our petition. They just don’t understand the service we’re trying to do them. If they understood the concept of not being quirky, then they’d appreciate our efforts.”

SAAQ’s attempt at garnering support in the school’s Facebook groups has been less than fruitful. The members have even felt attacked at times by the backlash to their intent of disassociating the university with this all-consuming adjective. Notable replies and comments include, “I don’t get it,” “What do you gain from this,” and “Where could I get cornrows around here?”

Time will only tell what will become of SAAQ and the fate of Tufts’ beloved quirkiness.