July 8, 2003, Orlando, FL - The Online University Consortium is gaining momentum as another eight qualified online degree-granting schools join the rapidly expanding university network. Membership growth comes at a time when universities are reeling from budget cuts, underscoring the importance of online education to traditional universities.

New Consortium members include: University of Illinois, University of Florida, University of Massachusetts, University of Oregon, University of Denver, Upper Iowa University, Thomas Edison State College, and New Jersey Institute of Technology. See http://www.onlineuc.net/topuniv.html for complete list.

The addition of these member-universities makes Online UC the largest consortium of its kind, with over 220 accredited online degree programs from top name universities. The Consortium now has enough critical mass and selection to be the go-to destination for anyone seeking quality online degree programs.

"The Online UC continues to gain strength and momentum as it sets the standard for quality online degree programs. This is the most important decision factor driving student enrollments," says Greg Eisenbarth, Online UC’s Executive Director. "Schools that meet the consortium’s membership requirements have earned a reputation for quality education with proven track records that non-traditional schools have not achieved.

Studies show the name and reputation of the institution backing online degree programs are critical to learner acceptance and future success. Findings from a recent survey by Online UC further supports this perspective. Approximately 50 percent of the HR professionals polled at this year’s Society for Human Resources Management Conference said they’d select a job candidate with a degree from a traditional school such as the University of Southern California over a candidate with a degree from a non-traditional organization. Only 22 percent said they’d select candidates graduating from an education business such as the University of Phoenix. When asked which candidate they’d be more likely to promote, the results were the same.

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About the Online University Consortium

The Online UC was founded by leading universities to help companies and employees secure quality online education, high return on investment and relevant degree programs from trusted institutions of higher learning. For more information, call 435.649.2190 or visit www.onlineuc.net