On today’s episode of The Confluence:
- We discuss with PublicSource’s Rich Lord an analysis of police complaints under the first year of the Gainey administration, and how new disciplinary rules could impact how many people come forward with issues. (0:00 - 7:28)
- The University of Pittsburgh has chosen a new chancellor, the first female leader in the school’s history. We speak with Joan Gabel about her goals, safety and on-campus issues. (7:39 - 22:30)
More from today’s episode:
Joan Gabel will begin her tenure at the University of Pittsburgh starting in July. She's taking on the role after Patrick Gallagher, who served as chancellor for nine years, announced he would transition to be a member of faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Gabel will be the first woman in the University of Pittsburgh’s history to hold this role. She comes to Pittsburgh after serving as the president and chief executive of the University of Minnesota System and Twin Cities Campus.
Pitt experienced a swatting event Monday night at its library, and Gabel says she will prioritize safety because without it, the university can’t deliver quality education.
“There's a full review of the services, making sure everything is in working order: We go through training, we check and make sure we have all of the pieces that we need and we prepare and anticipate and get ready,” says Gabel. “Most importantly, we communicate frequently and transparently, and we can get better at that.”
Another issue Gabel says she’ll consider further will be the cost of tuition, citing her own experience as a Pitt parent with out-of-state tuition.
“We do [three] things… when we think about holding tuition: One is to make sure that we are tightening our belts as much as possible without undermining quality,” says Gabel. The second and third considerations are ensuring students with financial barriers still have opportunity to access higher education, and that there is a return on investment for students.
The University of Pittsburgh has been under fire recently for hosting speakers, invited by conservative student groups, who condemned transgender people. When asked how Gabel would address a similar event under her tenure, she deferred, saying, “It’s hard to predict exactly, you have to look event by event.”
“What I will say is the University of Pittsburgh is never going to violate the law,” says Gabel. “But that doesn't mean that we endorse what any particular speaker is saying or that we don't acknowledge that speakers or other events can cause true and real legitimate heartbreak and real pain.”
Gabel continued that an institution’s responsibility is to be transparent about the decision, and offer support to groups that may be hurt by it.
The Confluence, where the news comes together, is 90.5 WESA’s daily news program. Tune in Monday to Friday 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 for wherever you get your podcasts.
