Reflections on NACTEL Case Study

1
Reflections on NACTEL Case Study

• Joseph G. DeFilippo
• State University of New York

2
Textbook case of new directions in higher
education

• (High-tech) industry partnership
• Blurring of sectoral lines competition with
  Comm. Colleges because of lower tuition
• Flexible curriculum
• Prior experience assessment
• 5X/year start times
• ALN-ness

3
Financial balance not bad

• Expenses/revenues slightly less than even for
  first 2 years
• Break-even expected in 2000-01 (larger
  enrollment, slightly higher tuition)
• Promise of future profitability

4
Extra-financial benefits

• Increased faculty expertise (30 introduced to
  ALN)
• Infrastructure needs demonstrated
• Infrastructure improved
• Student focus low cost, both material and
  opportunity.

5
Reflections on the future

• Short term fiscal desirability predicated on
  immaturity of institutional infrastructure.
• Hypothesis
• Thoroughly conversant faculty
• Leading edge infrastructure in place
• Highly favorable tuition
• If/when the hypothesis is actualized, the case
  for undertaking experiments such as NACTEL may
  well seem less compelling to some institutions.