Adventures in online ventures.

WHAT MAKES AN ONLINE CAMPUS SUCCESSFUL? WHAT LEADS TO its downfall? Administrators at the University of Illinois have deeply explored these questions in preparation to launch a much watched online campus.

Still in development, the University of Illinois Global Campus will offer, on a large scale, courses in accelerated formats that meet the needs of nontraditional students. Its creation is based on the belief that online education has matured in recent years. "We feel that higher education is going to be a rich mix of face-to-face, online, lecture, residential, and non-residential experiences," says Chet Gardner, who is overseeing the initiative as special assistant to the president.

The online campus will operate as a Limited Liability Company, University Related Organization, meaning it will be governed by a Board of Managers and will not rely on state funds. An estimated $15 to $20 million will be raised initially to support the endeavor. Administrators at U of I have other online successes--including the University of Phoenix, the University of Maryland University College, and Walden University--in their sights, as well as failures such as NYU Online. Lessons learned? A customer-centered focus is key, as are providing accelerated course formals; enrolling multiple cohorts; insisting on academic quality, and training faculty.

"I was also struck by how important graduation rates were to the financial viability," says Gardner. Supporting students is crucial Some schools with limited resources outsource such services. For its online programs, Gonzaga University (Wash.) outsources to Deltak edu. "The real foundation of success is around the partnerships that we have," says Mary McFarland, dean, School of Professional Studies.