It’s not only MFA departments. A generation ago I was in a history grad program and similar impropriety, favoritism, and sexual manipulation was rampant in the department. I suspect, based on many conversations over the years, that this goes on throughout the university grad school system and specialty programs.

A friend of mine married her lit prof, though to her credit, she refused to date him until after she graduated, even though he pursued her relentlessly. Sure enough, a year later, she learned he was banging another student he’d relentlessly pursued. Seems relentless pursuit was his main talent. My friend wasn’t all…

OMG yes. In many ways, I think the situation is worse in grad school, because so much depends on professorial recommendations, and if there’s a sexual dynamic in play, the system is corrupted. All schools, at all levels, need to have a zero tolerance policy for student/teacher dating [gender and age blind] because…