So, while I have never worked at any of the universities in question, I did work at a major university in IT for several years (University of Texas at Austin), and while it was not perfect, it does not resemble what you just described. So, I don't know if this is a difference between universities, or perhaps your frustration with your own experience making you slant things a little more negatively than it really is? Or maybe it was really that bad wherever you were. I would just like to say it wasn't perfect, but it wasn't nearly that bad where I was.