Cornell President Hunter Rawlings, with support from William Arms, chair of the Provost's Advisory Committee on Distance Learning, has outlined how the university will proceed with planning for distance learning activities.
The advisory committee initially will focus on non-degree programs, in particular on plans for certification programs in executive and continuing education. Discussions of cooperative extension, undergraduate education and degree programs are less urgent. The committee is particularly interested in the impact that the proposed legally separate entity for distance education (tentatively known as "e-Cornell") would have on the university and the criteria for deciding between for-profit or not-for-profit options.
At the same time, Rawlings and Arms agree that it is essential that financial planning move forward rapidly, in order for the faculty committee and administration to make informed decisions about the options. To that end, Vice Provost Mary Sansa-lone will continue working on this planning effort over the next six months.
"This understanding allows us to move forward with specific program planning in a field that is growing and changing daily, while at the same time providing a process, through the Provost's Advisory Committee on Distance Learning, for thoughtful deliberation on the many complex issues involved," Rawlings said.
"The key word is 'parallel,'" said Arms, professor of computer science as well as advisory committee chair. "While the committee is formulating a general strategy for the university, others are developing detailed plans in selected areas, where the university will probably want to move ahead briskly. Without these details, the committee does not know what is feasible and cannot make sensible recommendations."
Arms said the committee is considering a variety of issues related to distance learning, including potential conflicts of interest between a for-profit corporation and the public service mission of the university, intellectual property rights, compensation, admission criteria and content standards. The target is for a draft report with recommendations to be issued in early June. The committee is consulting with the University Faculty Committee on how best to get broad faculty input over the summer.
Sansalone said the School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions will continue to offer a limited number of undergraduate courses online in its winter and summer sessions. In addition, the university's distance learning classrooms, such as those in Ives Hall, will continue to be operated and maintained by the university, not e-Cornell, so that faculty can continue to offer synchronous distance learning courses as in the past.
She also noted that Polley McClure, vice president for information technologies, will continue to oversee campuswide planning for high-tech classrooms and "will continue to work with Cooperative Extension to explore how to make better use of modern technology in achieving the university's land grant mission."
Sansalone said that in the coming months she will be planning for the following kinds of activities related to e-Cornell:
·academic program planning with the colleges and units interested in offering executive or continuing education programs;
·business and legal planning, utilizing external consultants as necessary.
She also will have responsibility for the Office of Distance Learning production staff and activities. The staff's efforts beginning this summer will focus primarily on producing the first e-Cornell programs. These will include several certificate programs from the professional schools and other units.
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