Pitt bows out of Semester at Sea

India Foy wanted to see the world. She registered for the Semester at Sea program for the… India Foy wanted to see the world. She registered for the Semester at Sea program for the spring of 2006.

Foy signed a lease on her apartment until the end of December. She had plans to leave on January 17.

But after Pitt announced last week that it would no longer serve as Semester at Sea’s academic sponsor, Foy wasn’t so sure any more.

“I have no idea what my plans are now,” she said. “My roommate and I are looking into other study abroad programs, but if it doesn’t work out, we’ll try to find an available apartment that is still affordable and schedule classes.”

Foy said that she understands Pitt’s decision to cut ties with Semester at Sea if the University is concerned with its public appearance — on last spring’s trip the ship was hit by a 50-foot wave and one professor’s comments on race in the classroom sparked complaints from students — but she added that the decision should have been more gradual so students could have planned accordingly.

In a joint statement from the University and the Institute for Shipboard Education — the program’s other sponsor — Pitt announced that even though it would no longer sponsor the trip, it would still certify credits for the summer 2005 voyage, fall 2005 voyage and the spring 2006 voyage, ending April 2006.

Personnel from the Institute for Shipboard Education will remain on Pitt’s campus until August 2006.

Foy is not the only Pitt student upset by the recent announcement.

Lynn Falk, who traveled in the fall of 2000, wishes Pitt had fought a little more to keep the program.

“It was pretty much the best experience of my life — the best learning environment, the best faculty — and it was very accessible and easy for Pitt students to get accepted,” Falk said.

“I applied as a junior and got accepted the next semester,” she added. “Some seniors from other schools had just barely gotten in.”

Nora Connor — who was onboard the spring 2005 ship that was hit by the 50-foot wave — expressed similar disappointment about the severed ties.

“This is a big mistake,” she said. “I feel like what happened on our voyage was a big part of the decision, but so many people want to tell Pitt it was so worth it. Natural events happen. That doesn’t mean Pitt shouldn’t support it anymore.”

Connor added that she thinks another big university will most likely pick up the Semester at Sea program — which could hurt Pitt’s reputation as a study abroad provider.

Another student from last spring’s trip, Kristen Howland, said she “loved every minute of it.”

Howland said that while she does not know all the details behind Pitt’s decision, she believes Pitt is making the wrong move.

“It’s a great thing to be able to see so many diverse cultures and countries in a short period of time,” she said. “It’s disappointing because Semester at Sea became part of Pitt’s name. I wanted to come to Pitt for Semester at Sea.

“I was like, ‘University of Pittsburgh has Semester at Sea, I’m going to Pitt.'”

The Institute for Shipboard Education has already begun a search for a new academic sponsor.