The University of Pittsburgh has not been named as part of the nation-wide admissions cheating scandal under federal investigation, but that hasn't precluded the school from taking a look at its own admissions policies. Pitt Chancellor Patrick Gallagher called the scandal a teachable moment on Tuesday's episode of The Confluence.
"We immediately started looking at 'Do we have any of the structural problems that could lead to this kind of integrity breakdown?' By and large we think we're in pretty good shape but there's always room for improvement," he said.
Pitt will add independent oversight over some departments, including the athletic department, to safeguard against misconduct, according to Gallagher.
Gallagher took over as Chancellor of Pitt five years ago after serving as acting Deputy Secretary of Commerce in the Obama administration.
Later in the program:
Industrial hemp is making a comeback in Pennsylvania after a decades-long ban. The crop can be used to manufacture rope and clothing. In Pittsburgh’s early days, a woman ran the largest hemp rope-making business in the region. 90.5 WESA’s Katie Blackley looks back at the life of rope magnate Mary Irwin.
Kristal Bodenschatz, a Johnstown native, won three national gymnastics championships as a teenager but lost out on the chance to make the Olympic team. After a hiatus from the sport, she is now attempting a comeback to elite gymnastics at age 32. 90.5 WESA’s Amy Sisk reports that Bodenschatz hopes to go to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, but even if she doesn’t make it to the Olympics, simply competing again is an accomplishment.
And the trial of Michael Rosfeld, the white former police officer charged with homicide in the fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager Antwon Rose, begins today. The jury was selected from Dauphin County and brought to Pittsburgh after concerns about pre-trial publicity in Pittsburgh. David Harris, Pitt law professor and WESA legal analyst, explores how this case compares with others involving African American residents and white police officers.
90.5 WESA's Julia Zenkevich contributed to this program.
The Confluence, where the news comes together, is 90.5 WESA’s daily news program. Tune in weekdays at 9 a.m. to hear newsmakers and innovators take an in-depth look at stories important to the Pittsburgh region. Find more episodes of The Confluence here or wherever you get your podcasts.
