July 7th 2023.
In early 2021, Morehouse College sparked hope for students wanting the degree of an elite institution with the flexibility and access that online learning provides. In partnership with 2U, a for-profit education software company, the college was poised to provide accessible and affordable education. Unfortunately, reports of enrollment and financial aid issues have put a damper on the promise of the program.
The partnership with 2U has come under fire for being predatory for the school and applicants, as it grants the company 60% of the profits. It's not a surprise that online education's earning potential has incentivized struggling HBCUs to partner with organizations such as 2U. However, these companies often overwhelm the school's infrastructural and administrative capacity, and the lack of federal regulation allows them to prioritize profits over students' quality of education.
2U has previously facilitated online degree programs at other esteemed institutions such as Yale and the University of California, Berkeley, but HBCUs like Morehouse face different struggles. This has been made even more evident with the program's highly-anticipated computer science major never coming to fruition and unclear deposit deadlines resulting in dropped courses.
Morehouse students have written a letter to the administration expressing their concerns about the program's future. The document highlighted the unsustainable class availability, "arbitrary" transfer credit acceptance, and lack of transparency regarding the faculty they spoke to about their academic futures, who are often not employed by Morehouse but 2U.
In response to the students' concerns, Morehouse College Provost Kendrick Brown has indicated that they are hiring program managers to oversee the online division to ensure students are making progress in their undergraduate careers. He also apologized and refunded students for the rushed rollout of the computer science major.
2U CEO Chip Paucek remains committed to working with Morehouse to build virtual degree programs that will result in real-life graduates. He believes that the program is a great opportunity, as it is 50% of the campus cost and provides access to one of the most important HBCUs in the United States.
Despite the opposing opinion of the students taking the courses, there is still hope and determination within the HBCU community to see this opportunity through for the chance to become graduates of their dream schools. With the continued commitment of Morehouse and 2U, students may yet be able to experience the promise of the program.
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