Two Reports React to 'Virtual Universities' With Caution

By Julie Blair

Two reports on "virtual universities" released last week raise warnings about this growing trend in higher education, but for different reasons.

The College Board, the New York City-based organization that sponsors the SAT, noted that college courses and degrees offered online provide numerous opportunities for wealthier students who have regular access to computers. But they won't do much good for students who have less exposure to technology, particularly poor and minority students, according to the board's report.

"Virtual space is infinite, but it does not promise universality or equity," the board concludes in "The Virtual...