“It’s important for people not to focus on the doggone numbers.” The speaker was not a campaign manager explaining a presidential candidate’s poor showing in Iowa last night. Rather it was U. of Illinois special assistant Chet Gardner, explaining the poor enrollment in the university’s new Global Campus online education project to the Chicago Tribune yesterday.
The doggone numbers showed fewer than 15 students enrolled in the much-anticipated program, which opened its virtual doors on Wednesday. Initial enrollment had been projected at 75, and the multi-million program is supposed to teach more than 9,000 students by 2012.
Mr. Gardner emphasized those goals were still within reach, and the important fact is that the university got the program rolling. It had been delayed by four months while the institution’s Board of Trustees debated over financing and fees, not giving final approval until the end of July.
That left precious little time for marketing and recruiting students, Mr. Gardner said. That effort didn’t start until October, and the first courses began January 2. As new offerings are rolled out later this spring, and publicity builds, the university expects the students—people who can’t get to the physical campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield—will follow.—Josh Fischman
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