NSF's new figures for 1998 graduate enrollment in Science and Engineering show a 5-year decline since the peak enrollment in 1993. Computer science is the chief exception, up 5%. . [Jay Vegso , CRA Bulletin, 04Jan00.]

eCollegebid.org lets students offer online bids for college tuition, based on their grades and test scores as well as ability to pay. 841 students and six small colleges have signed up since Nov99, with the colleges paying $2K/year for this chance to increase enrollments in majors that have vacancies. [Philadelphia Inquirer Online, 06Jan00. Edupage.]

UNext.com has been developing online courseware for business schools at Chicago, Columbia, and Stanford, each receiving a $1M sign-on bonus. CMU and the London School of Economics are also participating. The schools will license their intellectual property to UNext.com for its own degree program, but can revoke their material at any time. University Access offers a different business model, supporting business schools that want to offer their own programs. Pensare is a third company in the business, working with Duke to create an online MBA program. Small business schools are worried about the new competition from top schools worldwide. [Financial Times, 10Jan00. Edupage.]

Ed Fox says that Virginia Tech's 1997 requirement of digital dissertation copies is spreading, with UTexas currently considering the policy. Fox's Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations now has over 70 members. [Chronicle of Higher Ed. Online, 04Jan00. Edupage.]

----- "Education is that which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding." -- Ambrose Bierce. -----