I'm the CEO and Co-Founder of MissionU, a college alternative for the 21st century that charges $0 tuition upfront and prepares students for the jobs of today and tomorrow debt-free. AMA!

I'm a college professor and I'm very encouraged by alternative education programs like these - in principle. However, I have a few questions/concerns about this one.

I have seen first-hand the influence funding bodies can have on the teaching process, right up to colleagues being told not to teach a particular subject for fear of upsetting funders. You seem heavily integrated with corporate partners. What safeguards do you have to ensure academic freedom? If, say, one of your instructors wanted to use Uber as a case study of bad/unethical business practices, could they do so? Are they/students free to criticise or challenge MissionU itself or you personally in class? Bear in mind this is less about technically allowing these practices and more about creating a culture in which people are genuinely not scared to do these things and not punished or disadvantaged for doing them.

I can find very little information about your staff. What is the approximate average (mean) number of years teaching experience across your teaching staff? I'd also be interested in their qualifications, although that's slightly less important for a project like this, I think. Still. How many have any graduate qualification?

You allow 25 students per year. What are your plans for expansion?

On a personal note: I am strongly in favor of higher education that is entirely free for the student, but am nervous about funding it via corporate sponsorship.

/r/IAmA Thread