Cornell has established an Office of Distance Learning (ODL) to explore ways to extend the boundaries of the university through the use of communication technologies. Creation of the office is one of the first steps in exploring the possibility of using communications technology to make Cornell courses available to people around the world.

David B. Lipsky, who served as dean of the School of Industrial and Labor Relations from 1988 to 1997, has been appointed director of the Office of Distance Learning. During his tenure as dean, the ILR School became the first college at Cornell to pioneer the use of compressed video for interactive master's-level instruction, including classes Lipsky taught from the Ithaca campus to students in New York City. Lipsky currently directs the Cornell/PERC Institute on Conflict Resolution.

Jonathon D. Levy, assistant dean of the ILR School since 1980, will serve as the associate director of the Office of Distance Learning. Levy has worked closely with Lipsky in the design and development of innovative distance-learning facilities and programs, including the state-of-the-art distance-learning amphitheaters located in the new ILR building, which will be completed in January 1998.

"I am optimistic that with appropriate training, support and coordination, Cornell will establish a leadership position in this new and evolving domain of higher education by virtue of our high-quality offerings," Lipsky said.

The primary focus of the office, which will report to the provost, will be to facilitate and coordinate the use of distance learning throughout Cornell. The office will:

• encourage and assist faculty in exploring the uses of various technologies to identify distance-learning opportunities;
• promote the delivery of new educational programs off campus via electronic communications technologies;
• provide new interdisciplinary and collaborative initiatives; and
• conduct research on distance-learning techniques and approaches.

The office also will examine the implementation of distance-learning technologies to:

• deliver courses from across the globe to students at Cornell;
• offer degree and non-degree academic programs for non-Cornell students;
• enhance and strengthen Cornell's executive education offerings and international programs as well as its alumni continuing education; and
• enhance and strengthen the mission of its statutory and land-grant programs.

An advisory committee will be appointed to assist the office in examining policy issues related to distance learning.

Cornell already has made considerable use of distance-learning technologies. The ILR School implemented the university's first use of compressed two-way video instruction for its master's of ILR program in New York City in 1991 and for international executive education in 1992. The school also has used an on-campus and a distance class taught simultaneously as an experimental lab for research on pedagogical issues in the use of those technologies. Other colleges at Cornell have used a variety of techniques to extend and expand the classroom, including video and the World Wide Web, and there is increasing use of the Internet and CD-ROM technology. Faculty in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences have team-taught courses with the University of Wisconsin via satellite, for example.