Delay Distance Learning

Still in the early stages of planning, the proposed alumni distance learning alliance between Yale, Princeton and Stanford is a pioneer effort to combine the educational resources of premiere universities with the multi-faceted potential of online technology. Nevertheless, Harvard has rightly decided to steer clear of the alliance for the time being. This is a prudent course of action given the proposed program's fledgling status, its minimal impact to undergraduates and the University's current shortage of Faculty.

Based on the tentative proposals that the three universities divulged last week, the long-distance learning program would be a non-profit and not-for-credit consortium that would focus on continuing education through the schools' faculties of arts and sciences. The idea is that graduates will be able to log on and get information in different fields in a specifically tailored flexible environment that would not be geared towards racking up additional credits towards an advanced degree. As a tangential benefit, the program might eventually lead to enhanced online resources for undergraduates.

At first glance, the plan looks like an excellent idea. It provides an opportunity for these institutions to give back in some small way to the alumni who are (most likely) both a source of monetary support and networking opportunities. And it keeps the alumni happy (and giving) by forging an intellectual connection to the college community. Moreover, this could easily be seen as a giant leap forward in terms of technological progress for a class of universities not known for embracing "change" in the form of the 'cutting edge,' especially when it comes to delicate issues of intellectual property.

At the same time, there are a number of reasons why Harvard is wise in delaying its involvement with the proposed consortium. First and foremost, we share the sentiments of Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 who stated last week that he had not yet heard that the "College has a surplus of faculty time unused by our undergraduates." There is no reason that an already under-staffed Faculty should be called upon to divert any larger portion of their energy away from the undergraduate population by loading them down with the additional responsibility of reworking their material to meet a new online format, particularly when the primary beneficiaries are those who have already graduated.

And though it seems anti-intuitive for Harvard not to want to be the first (and best) in all areas, this particular situation calls for us to restrain our competitive nature. Before we devote our time and resources to developing a curriculum that with minimal benefit to students or Faculty, it would be better to wait and let the other universities work out the kinks in the system.

This is not to say that such a consortium should be completely beyond of the realm of possibility. Instead, we should follow the plan Harvard administrators have sketched out--follow the progress of the colloquium from a distance, and re-evaluate our position at a later date.