Syracuse University has embraced online learning for decades and offers dozens of unique online degrees and certificates. The university has partnered with 2U to offer online programs, benefiting from the company’s efficiency and scale while maintaining ownership over its academic functions. Revenue-share arrangements have enabled Syracuse to offer high-quality online degrees it otherwise would be unable to handle. The proposed Department of Education rule changes around how schools work with companies may impact Syracuse’s online learning initiatives and limit the ability of schools to partner with companies, hindering their ability to provide innovative and accessible online programs.
The importance of online learning is increasing as modern learners seek greater flexibility in where and how they learn. Private and nonprofit institutions have always sought industry guidance to help stay ahead of the curve, and the proposed rule changes may limit the ability of schools to partner with companies and provide innovative and accessible online programs.
The Importance of Online Learning for Syracuse University and Potential Impacts of ED Rule Changes
As an institution, Syracuse University places a great deal of importance on online education. This approach has been a part of their mission for decades, even prior to the pandemic. The university believes that online learning is essential in meeting the demands of modern students, who are seeking greater flexibility in where and how they learn.
Syracuse University has developed several online programs and hybrid course experiences, including one of the first major online MBA programs. Additionally, the university has launched Syracuse University Global and the very first online J.D. program in the United States, and now offers dozens of unique online degrees and certificates.
The university has been able to maintain control over academic functions such as learning and instruction, admission, tuition, and financial aid while benefiting from partnerships with outside providers. These partnerships have enabled the university to access expertise in building and scaling online programs, as well as the ability to launch accredited programs quickly. The university has been able to balance ownership of its academic functions while relying on the efficiency and scale of partners such as 2U.
However, proposed changes to the Department of Education (ED) rules around the bundled services exemption that enables revenue-sharing agreements between Title IV eligible universities and companies may impact Syracuse’s online learning initiatives. If the ability to work with partners on a revenue-share basis is curtailed, it would disrupt many existing degrees that reach adult learners and working professionals. Additionally, it would limit the university’s ability to quickly launch new programs that meet rapidly evolving demands from learners and industry, particularly in disciplines where scaling access is a priority.
Revenue-sharing partnerships are important for Syracuse because they enable the university to offer high-quality online degrees that it would otherwise be unable to handle. The university relies on these partnerships to maintain competitiveness in the online landscape and ensure that it is meeting the needs of its students.
Syracuse University has partnered with 2U to offer thousands of students around the world the opportunity to earn a Syracuse education in various disciplines, including licensure-based programs requiring clinical placements, graduate-level degrees in business, communications, and public affairs, and tech-skills-based degrees in computer science, data science, and cybersecurity. Students in these programs follow Syracuse-approved curriculum, learn from Syracuse faculty, and meet Syracuse requirements, just like on-campus students. These programs also have strong retention rates and comparable outcomes.
To ensure that tuition rates are consistent across all programs, Syracuse matches the tuition for their 2U-supported online degree programs to on-campus rates. In some cases, revenue-share arrangements have helped Syracuse reach an operational scale that has reduced tuition rates. For example, in 2021, the university was able to substantially reduce tuition rates for both the online and on-campus Master of Social Work program, cutting the cost for MSW students significantly.
While Syracuse supports efforts to achieve greater transparency in revenue-share arrangements, they also believe that it is crucial to maintain the ability to choose from a wide range of financial models, including revenue share, when seeking a digital partner. This choice is vital in driving innovation, access, and affordability in the higher education ecosystem.
Beyond Syracuse University, proposed Department of Education rule changes around how schools work with companies may have a significant impact on the broader postsecondary ecosystem. Online education is increasingly essential in meeting the demands of modern learners who seek greater flexibility in where and how they learn. The idea that higher education can do without outside support ignores the reality that developing great online programs is difficult, costly, and risky. Many institutions must call in help from partners to ensure they keep innovating. Private and nonprofit institutions have always sought industry guidance to help stay ahead of the curve. The proposed rule changes may limit the ability of schools to partner with companies and may hinder their ability to provide innovative and accessible online programs.
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