The rankings don't mean anything, but when your team is winning, you feel good. Maybe the University's good showing in the rankings this year will make some potential alumni donors feel good and donate more money. Maybe the rankings will make people who were considering applying to the University feel good and go through with the application process. Provost Michael Aiken understands that the rankings, while meaningless, can translate into real benefits for the University the same way a winning baseball team translates its record into bigger attendance. Perhaps that explains why in the past Aiken has taken time out of his busy schedule to call up the editors of the magazine and give them some feedback. Anyway, we beat Brown this year so we can feel good about ourselves even if the football team doesn't beat Brown.
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