alexxkay: (Default)
Alexx Kay ([personal profile] alexxkay) wrote2004-08-01 07:29 pm

Academic politics

A while ago, I was helping [livejournal.com profile] kestrell look through the packet of fliers advertising student activities that gets sent to incoming MIT students. It was notable that a majority of activities on campus had at least two separate clubs. There were relatively few 'singletons', and a few with three or more. I infer from this that a majority of MIT student activities have gone through at least one political shcism.

I have heard it said that the reason politics in academia are so vicious is that the actual power at stake is so low. I guess that this inverse relationship continues below the faculty level as well.