This is a story about how this small Boston college saved itself by going online https://www.wbur.org/edify/2019/10/25/simmons-online-higher-ed-programs
So, 2U to the rescue? I know it sounds uncharitable, but sometimes I wonder whether schools that have to outsource so much of their core operations really deserve to live, though....
I'm not sure what "deserve" means in this context. It suggests that some moral or ethical principle is at stake and I'm not sure that's the case. If a company has to borrow money from a bank do they deserve to continue in business? If they use the loaned money well they might improve their business and survive well into the future. If Simmons can keep its enrollment up and otherwise pay their bills then I guess they deserve to live. They certainly exist in a very competitive market and so they'll need to be sharp. Most importantly, the women's soccer team seems to be having a bad year. It's not a good sign.
You're right, I should have worded that differently. What I wonder is whether schools that have to outsource so much of their core operations should really still be considered academic institutions. It's sort of like asking whether if you had your brain replaced by a computer whether you'd still be you. But I suppose in the case of Simmons their goal was to trade on their name as much as it took so they could survive at all and continue offering campus-based women's-only programs, which seems to be their core mission.
