Letter to the editor: Universities should focus on medicine, not athletics

The onset of the covid-19 virus already has brought our “normal” way of life to an abrupt halt. Our health care inadequacies will result in many more deaths than need be, if we were better prepared. Our economy will be in recession and likely a depression.

Covid-19 also brings us an opportunity to examine our priorities and make adjustments to boost the economy and prepare for the next epidemic. Locally, the University of Pittsbrugh is in a unique position to pioneer a paradigm shift in university priorities. Pitt recently announced a $250 million plan to upgrade its athletic training facilities. By repurposing this money to medical training facilities and research, as well as the $90 million athletic department budget, and the hundreds of athletic scholarships, Pitt could provide a boost to the local economy and perhaps save lives when the next pandemic occurs.

Let the NFL, NBA, etc. spend some of their billions on recruiting and training athletes instead of Pitt spending hundreds of millions to provide professional sport owners with the occasional employee. If other universities followed suit, the value to society would be immense. This crisis is the time to examine the purpose of a university.

Kevin Seidling

Mt. Washington