President Hennessy still considers the four-year residential college experience to be the “gold standard” of higher education, largely because of what happens when such diverse groups live and work together. But online education can enhance that experience by giving students more flexibility. Other institutions of higher learning can also benefit greatly from online delivery, especially in efforts to address gaps in preparation and prior learning.
John L. Hennessy has been president of Stanford University since 2000, though he has announced plans to step down in the summer of 2016. A computer scientist and entrepreneur, he has long been a champion of online learning and educational innovation. To learn more about Hennessy’s transformational leadership, see this article from Stanford University: Stanford President John L. Hennessy to Step Down in 2016.