The Circle
From SenatorAdams
The Circle is a fictional secret society in The Mike Adams Series that operates as a "leadership honorary" on the University of Florida campus. In the series, it is known to control the Student Government at UF and may have enough influence to black-ball certain individuals within the state of Florida. Given the success of a movie parodying it, its influence since the series began is unclear.
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How The Circle Began
Once upon a time, there was a group of prominent young people who were noticed by the state leadership in Florida as people to watch. They tapped this group with the best jobs, the best spouses, and the best lives, one could hope for. This group fulfilled their destiny by taking power in the state. However, they developed an unusual but reasonable desire to perpetuate their influence. They, in turn, drew into their circle the next generation of student leaders with the power to control Homecoming at the largest university in the state.
To ensure that future leaders could be identified early and this power can be consolidated, the circle publicly promoted their strength in networking among those most obsessed with their meaningless resumes – freshmen. They quickly assumed control of the largest organizations and reigned in the campus government. As the generations went by, their public image faded but their influence far from receded. Every year, active members of the circle selected the new inductees. Every year, the new inductees came from the ranks of student government and other perpetual student organizations. And every year, elections for student leadership were rigged by the student groups that dared to vote as a single block, amassing thousands of votes just by donning their brightly-colored shirts and smiling widely at unsuspecting students who would find that this circle had no opposition.
And why would they? Every student leader wanted to be tapped for the glory the circle promised. Why risk the circle’s wrath by opposing the political “party” the old guard backed when it was just as easy to go along with it? Over the years, the circle got creative. Sometimes they changed the name of their party. Other times, they would publicly split into two during an election and get into passionate disagreements for all to see. Yet, it was nothing but a façade put on to avoid the necessity of democratic competition, as both sides would reunite after the election to deliver the spoils and induct new members to their circle.
No matter what it took, anyone can be brought into The Circle.
Trivia
- Every Student Body President in UF's history has been a member of The Circle, although there have been members who were occassionally elected President without the tacit endorsement of The Circle.
- The Circle is very loosely based on UF's real Florida Blue Key, which in turn may have modeled itself on Phi Beta Kappa, one of the oldest secret societies on American college campuses.
Reputation for Dominating SG
The Perception
In particular, The Circle mirrors FBK in that its reputation centers on the public perception that the organization somehow controls UF Student Government, largely through the influence its prestige has within UF's fraternities and sororities, and the perception that membership can guarantee desirable jobs and influence once members leave UF. This perception may reflect the organization in its heyday, but even that may turn out to be an urban legend or at least an exaggeration.
The Turth
The reality is that The Circle and FBK mainly influence SG through the determination of which candidates from their group run for which office, and help influence the support those candidates receive from politically active organizations on campus. From there, without a campaign based on differences of opinion, most voters will pick a particular candidate or party based on personality or, more often than not, on the perception that they're joining a winning bandwagon. Of course, one part of this feeds on the other, and vice versa. So maybe FBK and The Circle do control SG, but it's not as direct a control as it is believed or it may have been in the past. If SG campaigns became more ideological in character, and if more voters saw the difference it could make, then FBK's power could be toppeled. But I doubt it.
| The Mike Adams Series by Kenneth Kerns | |
|---|---|
| The Novels | Reunion At University Avenue • The Proxy Senator • Confirmation |
| Major characters | Mike Adams • Ashley Woodard • George Avelli • Jeff Simon • Sam Lee • Aimee Jackson |
| Minor characters | Adam Ruppesberger • Bennita Jones • Ben Burns • Rick Roberts • Nicholas Hickey • Peter Easley |
| Fictional organizations | The Circle • Gator Party |
| Related topics | Greeks vs. Independents • Legacy • "Old Walter" • Student Government • U.S. Senate |
