Editorial: Some OCC requirements unjustified

Many returning students, preoccupied with earthquakes and tuition hikes, could easily miss some of the more subtle developments that have occurred at Pitt since the spring semester. Many returning students, preoccupied with earthquakes and tuition hikes, could easily miss some of the more subtle developments that have occurred at Pitt since the spring semester. Those hoping for a green cord come graduation day, however, would do well to take a closer look.

This past summer, Pitt’s Outside the Classroom Curriculum, or OCC, underwent a thorough reworking — with decidedly mixed results. Now, among other changes, nine of the 10 “goal areas” (the 10th, “Demonstrating Initiative and Drive,” is new and open-ended) feature a few mandatory requirements and a minimum number of electives. Upon successful completion of every category, students are eligible for induction into the OCC Honorary Society, whose benefits include exclusive meetings with potential employers.

Although we applaud some of these changes — the diminished number of curriculum items, many of which were superfluous, is a major improvement — we’re concerned others might be detrimental to both OCC credit-seekers and the campus at large.

Foremost, there’s the requirement that participants vote in at least one SGB election during their undergraduate years — a measure we find counter-productive. Rather than selecting candidates based on prior research, aspiring Honorary Society members might choose a name at random to earn the requisite Pitt Pride points. After all, the program offers no incentive to understand each of the candidates’ positions — only one to press the “vote” button.

More troubling still is the stipulation that Pitt students attend Emerging Leaders or “alternate leadership training” (which, according to spokesman Shawn Ahearn, includes RA training or programs provided for fraternities or sororities) for a minimum of 20 hours. For many people, especially those already saddled with academic or professional obligations, this is an unrealistic commitment. It could also be an expensive one, if students were to choose to participate in the Emerging Leaders program itself, which costs $60.

The most upsetting new feature of OCC, however, is the networking community that all Pitt students should enjoy, but will instead be offered exclusively to Honorary Society members. As mentioned, various employers will be invited to speak with members of the society, and the society only. In other words, our tuition money, which funds the OCC program, will channel benefits to a select number of students; those students who, for whatever reason, cannot complete all 10 goal areas will be deprived of a valuable career service.

OCC’s central tenants — community involvement, personal development and career preparation — are easy to support. But some of the requirements the new curriculum imposes run counter to everyone’s interests. Students should vote in the SGB elections, they should hone their leadership skills and they should meet with employers — but not at the behest of the University. Some extracurriculars are best left extracurricular.