"It always comes to the point of defining what education is. Is it passing exams? Getting a degree? If that's what it is, distance education will help, but then you will have barriers...You are going to have the Ivy institutions as good for the elite and other institutions good for others."
However, Gregorian said distance education is going to benefit professional development. But he also said integrity and copyright issues should be a concern, as should the question of whether universities--and their individual faculty members--could become "profit centers."
"How will that affect alumni loyalty to universities, when alumni can
get information from 10 different institutions?" he asked.
According to Gregorian, Harvard can rise above its competition regardless of what happens in distance learning.
"Harvard has always faced challenges," he said, adding that so long as Harvard maintains the integrity of its offerings, their value will not be compromised.
"Harvard need not worry," he said.
Neither Provost Harvey V. Fineberg '67 nor Assistant Provost Daniel Moriarty--who is responsible for much of the University's technology-- responded yesterday to calls for comment.