E-commerce
intrudes on higher education
To the Editor:
After reading “Class for Sale” (3/13) and some of the
responses online, I’d like to add a few words about what these
businesses really stand for and indicate how in recent months
the intrusion of e-commerce into education has been going on.
While many colleges and universities across the country are
developing policies to secure a respectful environment for
students and teachers, commercial notes companies have
attracted millions of dollars in financing. For example,
Versity.com has received $11.2 million from investors, while
StudentU.com operates on some $6 million.
To attract revenue from Web site advertising, companies use
mass e-mails and other intrusive advertising strategies. The
businesses’ addition to education consists of freebies and
contests with lucrative prizes. Marketing techniques even lead
companies to dismiss professors’ complaints. The CEO of one
notes company called education a commercial enterprise.
Most recently, several notes companies are expanding and
diversifying their businesses by acquiring other
college-related enterprises, such as book-selling sites.
StudentU.com formed the Uzone and bought out the publisher of
a college magazine. WhataboutU.com acquired two notes
companies for cash and equity stake in the new company and
intends to launch a site of college notes across the world.
With all this, the question we are faced with is whether as
teachers and students we are still committed to
service-oriented learning and teaching in an environment of
mutual respect and human dignity.
Mathieu Deflem
Asst. Prof. of Sociology, Purdue University
(3/14)
This appeared in the Brown Daily Herald ® on
Wednesday, March 15, 2000
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