A 2-tier price structure assumes that the students taking remote classes cost the school less since the school doesn't have to build and upkeep an infrastructure for them. And, of course, that is how many of the on-line programs can offer classes at a lower cost.

But does that really make sense for a school that already has the infrastructure in place - and it has to be completely maintained all the time. If you start shifting thousands of students out of that setting and into a cheaper on-line version, then you have less students in class supporting the costs of maintaining those already existing structures. It could get out of whack quickly. Only if a school goes dramatically into the on-line experience - like ASU - without losing classrooms full of students, will the extra (albeit reduced tuition) make sense.

And beyond the financial cost, the impression that a school is predominantly an online institution will start to undermine the school's reputation. I don't want to see that happen to Tech.