HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE: At UCLA, a defeat for “studies” departments at the hands of “academically conservative liberal” faculty. Good thing it was a secret ballot.

Plus, from the comments: “Groseclose is suggesting that this is the start of a ‘preference cascade’ heralding the rapid decline and fall of the ‘Studies’ empire. Commenters are more cynically viewing it as simple self-interested turf protection. The two views are not entirely inconsistent. Self-interest, in a time of limited resources, will force people to finally acknowledge what everyone knows.”

Is it just me, or are we hearing more about “preference cascades” lately?