What confuses me most is how universities — including Pitt — preach diversity and inclusivity, then allow their departments and professors to use textbooks that are grossly expensive, effectively leaving their low-income students — very often including students of color — behind. Putting diversity and inclusion first means being accessible, and affording all of your students the basic human decency of being caring and compassionate. Expecting students to spend so much money, especially during a pandemic, makes it hard to believe that universities prioritize their students’ well-being over their ability to make a profit.
