- States are struggling to deal with unaccredited higher-education institutions on the Internet. While some of the institutions say that foreign students or students who may not understand the definition of accreditation, often it is too late to provide help to students who spend thousands of dollars only to find out that their degree is worthless. The Distance Education and Training Council is recognized by the US Dept. of Education to provide such accreditation and has given approval to 60 distance education programs. (Chronicle of Higher Education, 23 Mar 01)

- 1to1 Magazine predicts that colleges and universities that offer alumni customized online Web portals will rise to nearly 20% by the end of this year. For alumni, theses sites offer the opportunity to maintain friendships and to network. For the institutions, they are a way to keep up with alumni addresses and keep fundraising solicitation lists current. (1to1 Magazine, March 2001)

- The cost of attending the University of Phoenix Online appears to be a bargain. According to columnist Christopher Byron, four years of tuition, room and board and other expenses at a top institution would cost more than $100,000, while four years at the University of Phoenix Online would be no more than $48,000. The University of Phoenix Online has 18,500 students and 11,500 faculty. It has managed to operate at a profit margin of 26% for the quarter ending last November, with a quarterly revenue of $34 million (a 64% increase over the previous year.) Overhead is considerably less than a regular institution of its size. (Bloomberg, 28 Feb 01)

- According to the Market Retrieval Service, of the more than 4,000 two- and four-year colleges in the United States, 70% provided online courses last year, a 22% increase from 1998. Criteria important for successful e-learning include: 1) training faculty and 2) 24-hour tech support for faculty and students. A recent survey by the American Federation of Teachers revealed that Web-based e-learning is the most common form of distance education. However, some classes combine classroom sessions with online learning. (Business First of Buffalo Online, 26 Feb 01)

- DE and Technology Director in Continuing Studies at the U of British Columbia, Professor A.W. Bates, discusses reallocating educational funds toward academic technology in his recent book, Managing Technology Change: Strategies for College and University Leaders. He contends that if universities can reserve from 1 to 2% of their budgets for technology, it will provide many indirect benefits, i.e. parking on campus could be partially eliminated and special niche courses could be marketed globally, thereby increasing cost effectiveness. (Chronicle of Higher Education Online, 27 Feb 01)