David Lipsky, an early proponent of distance learning and director of the Institute on Conflict Resolution at Cornell University, has been named director of educational planning and review for eCornell. The announcement was made today (March 21) by Francis Pandolfi, president and chief executive officer of the university's distance-learning subsidiary.

Lipsky will continue as a Cornell professor of industrial and labor relations and director of the Institute on Conflict Resolution, in addition to the part-time position with eCornell.

"Students of distance-learning programs delivered by eCornell should have an excellent learning experience," Pandolfi said. "Therefore, all of the programs delivered by eCornell should be subject to the oversight of a senior, highly respected academician who can assure the quality that eCornell's students deserve. Dave Lipsky is eminently qualified for such a position."

eCornell is the university-owned and -financed, for-profit corporation formed to produce, market and deliver non-degree educational programs developed in conjunction with the university's schools and colleges.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity to work on strategies with eCornell," said Lipsky. "I've had a longstanding interest in distance learning, even predating the establishment of the Office of Distance Learning at Cornell. This continues something I've been involved with for many years, an area that I've been away from for a few years and have missed.

"I've always thought eCornell was a wonderful idea, and when Francis asked me to work in areas of special interest to me -- strategy, evaluation, and planning -- it was an offer I could hardly refuse."

As director of educational planning and review for eCornell, Lipsky will be the principal academic adviser to Pandolfi and part of the top management team. He will assist the company in planning future program releases to ensure that they are academically sound. He also will participate in planning meetings with individual Cornell units to review opportunities being considered for their programs.

In addition, Lipsky will review the pedagogical approach proposed for individual programs to ensure their effectiveness.Lipsky was dean of the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) from 1988 to 1997. Between 1997 and 1999, he established and served as the first director of Cornell's Office of Distance Learning. Under Lipsky's leadership, ILR became the first college at Cornell to pioneer the use of compressed video for interactive masters-level instruction. This included classes that Lipsky taught from the Ithaca campus to students in New York City using the new technology. He also helped to design and develop the innovative distance-learning facilities and programs, including state-of-the-art distance learning amphitheaters, in the new ILR building.

The plans for eCornell drew upon earlier reports and recommendations in distance learning, including the May 1998 report from the Office of Distance Learning's Advisory Committee, chaired by Lipsky.

Lipsky has been a member of the Cornell faculty since 1969. He received his B.S. in 1961 from the ILR School and his Ph.D. in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1967.

In his research and teaching activities, he primarily focuses on negotiation, conflict resolution and collective bargaining. He is the author of more than 40 articles and the author or editor of 11 books. He has served on the board of directors of the Industrial Relations Research Association and is a member of the National Policy Association's Committee on New American Realities. He also was a member of the inaugural class of the National Academy of Human Resources.

eCornell maintains offices in Ithaca and New York City. Its first distance-learning programs will be offered this fall.