Cornell and Foundation House in New York City, in association with Teachers College of Columbia University, have created a new foundation to conduct experiments in distance learning and related purposes. The aim is to ascertain how best to use the latest interactive communications technologies to provide students at all levels with quality education at affordable costs.

"I see in this venture the possibility to do something no less grand for the 21st century than what Andrew Carnegie did for the early 20th century," said Walter Cronkite, who serves as a special adviser to the new foundation. "May we always need our public libraries, but the urgent need right now is the library of the new century ­ the computer/Internet learning/interactive center."

The announcement of the new foundation, to be called the Cornell/Foundation House Experiments in Distance Learning Inc., was made today, May 22, by Cornell President Hunter Rawlings and New York City attorney Theodore W. Kheel, chairman of the Foundation House Coordinating Council.

Rawlings is serving as chairman of the foundation. Arthur Levine, president of Teachers College, is associate chairman, and Kheel serves as president and CEO. Other members of the foundation's board include Eleanor S. Applewhaite, vice president, general counsel and secretary of Educational Broadcasting Corp.; Sandra Feldman, president of the American Federation of Teachers; Robert Huret, chair of Huret Rothenberg and Co.; Toby Kleban Levine, president of Toby Levine Communications; Professor David B. Lipsky, director of Cornell's Office of Distance Learning; Eugene R. McGrath, chairman and CEO of Con Edison; and Edward L. Peck, senior partner, Battle Fowler.

In addition to Cronkite, special advisers to the foundation and their areas of expertise include Richard B. Dressner, director of Educational Communications Foundation Inc., on education and technology; John W. Hyland Jr., partner of McFarland, Dewey & Co., on corporate affairs; Robert J. Kheel, senior partner of Wilkie Farr & Gallagher, on legal affairs; Sean Mahedy, manager of visual communications for Con Edison, on distance-learning technologies; Howard Solomon, consultant on distance-learning technologies; Hugh Price, president of the National Urban League, on distance learning in rural areas and inner cities; and John G. Roche, chairman and CEO of Telecommunications Reports International Inc., on international communications.

"The technologies of interactive distance learning have arrived, and they're impressive," Kheel said. "What is now needed is the knowledge of how to use them for educational purposes to disseminate the accumulated information to educational authorities throughout the world. The best and quickest way of acquiring this indispensable know-how is by conducting, analyzing, documenting and publicizing research results."

Rawlings expressed appreciation for the collaboration of Cornell, Teachers College and Foundation House. "The creation of this foundation brings together the academic resources of Cornell University and Teachers College and the technological resources of Foundation House in an educational expedition of unexplored opportunities," he said.

Levine said, "Distance learning is not a fad. It is the future of education. Currently, the traditional college student ­ 18 to 22 years of age, attending full time and living in residence ­ constitutes less than a fifth of all students. This means the groups most open to distance learning now make up the vast majority of college students ­ part time, older adults and nonresidential."

In addition to conducting experiments in distance learning, the foundation also will:

• serve as a clearinghouse for distance-learning activities around the world;
• conduct periodic meetings to update relevant constituencies on the latest research in distance learning and to discuss future directions; and
• conduct demonstrations of the latest technologies in cooperation with suppliers of distance-learning equipment.

The new foundation will be based in Foundation House, currently under construction at 9 East 64th St. Foundation House is scheduled for occupancy beginning July 1, 1998. The five-story building with two subsurface floors will have 17,000 usable square feet for exclusive use of not-for-profit institutions examining the impact of technology on society with special emphasis on the opportunities and problems arising in employment, environment, development, conflict resolution and the arts.

Cornell and the following foundations will be among the occupants of Foundation House: Foundation on Prevention & Early Resolution of Conflict (PERC), Earth Pledge Foundation, Business Coalition for Sustainable Cities, Experiments in Art & Technology, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, Cornell/PERC Institute of Conflict Resolution, Cornell Institute of Collective Bargaining and Experiments in Distance Learning.

Cornell and Teachers College, as well as the foundations, will have access to the common areas including the amphitheater, multitorium, various conference and meeting rooms, all wired and equipped with the latest communications technologies.

The Foundation House Coordinating Council has been created to assist the foundations in the effective use of the building's unique facilities. The council, with Kheel as chairman, George E. McDonald as president and Leslie Hoffman as executive coordinator, will include a representative from each of the foundations.

With assistance and cooperation of Con Edison, Foundation House will include the latest environmentally sound materials, furnishings and equipment.

The start-up costs of Experiments in Distance Learning as well as its headquarters in Foundation House are being provided by the Task Foundation. Grants and other contributions will be sought, and purveyors of distance learning equipment will be invited to demonstrate their products as part of the distance-learning experiments.