While I cannot speak of the issues at USM real well, I do know I read on CNN the other day where more and more people are chosing on line courses so that they have more flexibility in their schedules.
I have a friend who is doing her graduate work in sociology on line.
I perfer having a warm body to answer questions immediately.
Somebody once told me that, because of the development of computer capabilities, university libraries will be reduced to only one small small room. Taking this reasoning a step forward, if this online nonsense continues entire universities will be reduced to seventeen rooms - one small room to house the computers, one small room to house the loo, and fifteen large offices to house the administration.