Pitt’s Faculty Protest Online Courses

As reported on on April 17, the University of Pittsburgh will replace classroom courses with online courses, but is not planning to lower tuition.

Like that punch line of many jokes, “Not so fast!”  There’s always a fly in the ointment called “reality.”

Not only are Pitt students not going to pay the same tuition costs, but Pitt’s Faculty are upset about how these online courses are taught.

On March 20 in an open letter to the editor of Pitt’s  “University Times,” something called “The Pitt Faculty Organizing Committee” has taken exception to some online courses introduced by Pitt’s Provost, Dr. Ann E. Cudd.  Trained as a Philosophy instructor, Dr. Cudd formerly served as Dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Boston University.  A graduate of BU now making waves is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Without reviewing the history of other institutions that circumvented Faculty in the development of new programs, Dr. Cudd plans to import some Internet-based courses from a commercial company, “Outlier.org.” Offering college level courses for academic credit at Pitt, Outlier states that starting with two courses, priced at $400, in Calculus and Psychology, Outlier instructs its students that “We are excited to be partnering with the University of Pittsburgh for our spring and summer courses. Upon successful completion, you will receive 3 college semester credits from the University of Pittsburgh, transferable to other colleges and universities subject to review and approval by the receiving institution. When you transfer your credits, it will come as an official transcript from the University of Pittsburgh.”

Not so fast, Dr. Cudd!