There has been a lot of talk about RPI, the academic index, and the choice to stay in the ECAC rather than move to HE.  While the academic strength of a league's constiutent schools might not affect the hockey recruitment at RPI, it DOES affect the rest of the class.  RPI likes to be assoiciated with Harvard, Yale, Cornell, etc.   Remember, RPI is first an academic instution and secondly a hockey school.  I think that that was also a maor factor in the decision to stay with the ECAC and I agree with the decision.