Pitt reopening plan spurs questions, concerns from student newspaper, neighbor
The University of Pittsburgh’s plan to reopen its Oakland campus in phases beginning Aug. 11 is raising questions among students and neighborhood residents.
The hybrid plan, which calls for a mix of in-person and online classes, was months in the making. Among other features, the plan includes measures to reduce university housing density by placing a quarter of all incoming students in local hotels, to test up to 400 selected students a day for covid-19 and a requirement that students self-quarantine for 14 days before the start of class.
The sharpest criticism came from the Pitt News, the school’s student newspaper. This week, editors published a scathing editorial calling Pitt administrators “delusional” to think what they termed a “pseudo-quarantine” will be effective in halting the coronavirus from spreading.
“We’re calling on Pitt to give us an outline of how covid-19 can be mitigated on campus that doesn’t solely involve wishes, hopes and dreams,” the editorial stated. “And since that doesn’t seem at all possible, we’re asking Pitt, again, to do the right thing and put our classes online.”
Students are expected to abide by the “honors system,” according to a Pitt spokesperson. This plan is full of gaping holes — the most obvious being that the honors system has never been a reliable method for control of any university student body.https://t.co/B9w2OUZlB2
— The Pitt News (@ThePittNews) July 21, 2020
Similar debates have been raging on campuses across the country. A handful of universities, including some of the nation’s leading research schools and three state-owned Pennsylvania universities, including Edinboro, have opted to go almost entirely online this fall.
Pitt Chancellor Patrick Gallagher outlined Pitt’s plans to reopen in a letter to the university community. He said the plan that has provisions for students to attend classes both online and in person will be subject to change as the pandemic waxes and wanes.
“If you’re like me, you are worrying about the record numbers of new cases across the country, including here in Pennsylvania, and wondering if our plans for the fall still makes sense,” Gallagher wrote.
He vowed to “use testing, modeling, data, public health guidance and the latest science” to guide decisions.
“We will disseminate updates from this office to the entire university community so that everyone has access to the same information and recommendations that we are using to fuel our decisions,” Gallagher said.
We are coming together to meet the challenges ahead and build a more resilient community and campus. Learn about the steps we’re taking at https://t.co/2Ataif9Qi8 #H2P pic.twitter.com/FI6Xn1Wgh1
— University of Pittsburgh (@PittTweet) July 20, 2020
Much of the responsibility for safe conduct will fall on students. As yet, there are no provisions for specific sanctions even regarding the quarantine.
The university is asking students in Oakland and at Pitt’s branch campuses in Greensburg, Johnstown and Bradford to sign a Campus Community Compact agreeing to obey Pitt’s health and safety protocols, including the quarantine, Pitt spokesman Kevin Zwick said. In addition to the quarantining at the start of the semester, Pitt also is asking those who travel out of state or to other virus hot spots to self-quarantine upon their return.
Unlike West Virginia University, which will fine students $250 if they fail to complete an online education course on the virus and be tested for covid-19 before the start of class, Pitt stopped short of outlining sanctions or saying how it intends to enforce its new public health requirements. Additional clarifications will be forthcoming, Zwick said.
“We are currently working with faculty, staff and student government to adopt (the Compact) for all five campuses,” he said. “We are also putting processes in place to make sure there are consequences for people who violate the rules — including making changes to our Student Code of Conduct. We always want to educate people first, but we will not tolerate unsafe behavior.”
News of Pitt’s plans prompted longtime Oakland community activist Carlino Giampolo to write a lengthy letter to Gallagher. He questioned the decision to bring back students, who have been absent since March, while covid-19 infections are surging in Pittsburgh.
“Your decision brings for you the highest degree of personal responsibility to the residents of Oakland and the gravest consequences should tragedy befall any residents, especially the elderly who are among the most vulnerable to the pandemic,” Giampolo wrote.
He said the requirements that students self-quarantine raised many questions.
Giampolo wants to know what protocols the university has in place to ensure students have indeed quarantined, who will enforce such policies, what provisions are being made to test all students, and whether failure to comply would be grounds for expulsion.
Zwick said the community’s concerns are being weighed.
“The views and concerns of our neighbors in Oakland and all of the communities in which our campuses are located are important to us, and we work regularly with neighborhood organizations to address concerns. In order for our plans for returning to our campuses this fall to be successful, we need every member of the Pitt community who chooses to return to campus to do their part,” he said.
Deb Erdley is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Deb at derdley@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.