Bridging the Divide: Reconciling Administrator and Faculty Concerns Regarding Online Education (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION Online education is considered one of the fastest growing educational enterprises in the United States. Over 3.9 million students were enrolled in at least one online course during the fall 2007 semester, a 12% increase over the number reported the previous year. Most institutions believe that the change in student demographics, student demand for more online course offerings, and the current state of the economy (i.e., the recent recession and past increases in gasoline prices) will have a positive impact on overall online enrollment, and the expectations of academic leaders are that these academic enrollments will continue their growth for at least another year. Considering these ever-increasing enrollments, administrators continue to have important decisions to make regarding online education at their institutions, and often "make decisions based on their understanding of faculty opinions" (Allen & Seaman, 2008, p. 6).