The LEEP M'S' Program

1
The LEEP M.S. Program

• Creating a Business Model for One of the
  Top-ranked Programs in Library and Information
  Science
• Leigh S. Estabrook, Professor
• Graduate School of Library and Information
  Science, UIUC

2
Background

• Desire to extend program outside central Ill.
• Concern about maintaining quality and reputation
  of highly ranked degree
• Concern about accreditation
• Need for economic model that would not establish
  separate program
• Involvement of entire faculty in planning
• Desire to assert leadership in the field in
  distance education

3
Business Model

• Treated as scheduling option not new program
• All faculty involved in teaching
• Tuition same as on-campus
• Students from different scheduling options may
  cross-enroll
• Teaching is fully on-load, with release time
  and/or summer money for start-up and new course
  preparation

4
Advantages

• No accreditation problems
• LEEP and on-campus program create mutually
  enhancing reputation
• Can offer a full (15 courses/semester) program
  representing diverse curriculum
• LEEP has significantly changed entire School by
  infusing expertise and use of new technologies
  and enhancing budget
• LEEP brought in new type of student--risk takers,
  geographically dispersed, wider job placement

5
Limits to this Model

• Hinders corporate partnerships
• Cannot charge differential tuition
• Curriculum remains more traditional

6
Current Plans to address these Limits

• Professional development sequence targeted to
  business and industry
• first test will be on knowledge management,
  competitor intelligence, information consulting
  (building on 5 year project with College of
  Engineering)
• develop standard continuing education fee
• not tied to standard calendar or units--will
  teach in shorter modules
• Experiment with offerings to students completing
  programs in other universities

7
Questions for other schools and departments

• Why do it--what is driving motivation?
• How to position distance education offering in
  the market?
• What is expected impact for on-campus programs?
• What is expected life-cycle of program as others
  get into the business?
• Where is start-up/venture funding?

8
Why not?

• Joy in something new
• Distance education technologies are becoming
  technologies of all kinds of teaching--relevant
  whether off-campus programs is small or large,
  long term or short
• If done well, is a marketing tool for on-campus
  programs also
• We are only beginning to discover the
  possibilities.