Yet, the literature offers no direct and statistically reliable basis for a quantitative description of presidential perspectives on this topic Because presidents are chief visionaries of higher education, their goals and perspectives are critically important in this time of stress and change. While some presidents have written and spoken extensively on the topic of electronic education, there has been little generalizable information about the opinions of chief executives in higher education. The findings suggest that presidents tend to be proactive, involved, and, with a measure of caution, enthusiastic about Internet-based applications. These presidents indicated high expectations for using the Internet to meet the needs of potential and current students, the public, faculty, and the institution. Improving institutional visibility, reputation, and quality of instruction were also highly ranked as reasons for expanding electronic offerings.
Lower expectations exist with regard to cost containment.
Some prognosticators have warned that the Internet could destroy traditional, campus-based programs. Few presidents agreed with such dire predictions. Only a small portion of respondents perceived Internet-based applications as threatening to the survival or function of their institutions. Perceptions of threats and opportunities vary somewhat with the size and type of institutions. The executives from larger and public schools were also more positive about electronic programs.