ANDRIA HALL, CNN ANCHOR: Using the Internet, an American billionaire wants to make getting a college degree more convenient and free. He believes so strongly in his cyberspace plan he's willing to invest millions of dollars in it. CNN's Frank Buckley says the idea is not new but the free price for students would be.</s>FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): University students are already offered courses online at a number of universities. Students enrolled in online courses are gain credits and pay tuition like traditional college students. But billionaire Michael Saylor, founder of the high-tech firm MicroStrategy, has a different idea for an online university, to provide it for free: college educations to anyone who logs on and completes the course work. (on camera): For the moment, it's only an idea, but it's an idea that Saylor is backing up with $100 million of his own money. (voice-over): Professors and lecturers would be videotaped and delivered via the Internet. Answers to questions from students would be anticipated and taped as well. But would the students take the courses?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Personally I wouldn't do it. I don't know. I think that the atmosphere is a big part of university life.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't see that as a replacement for college, just maybe as a better way to do it or as in addition to it.</s>BUCKLEY: Which is how some universities that currently offer online courses see their e-offerings. Close to 1,700 institutions offered such courses, according to a survey in 1998. And as the number grows, say some experts, so will the value of such education.</s>JOHN CHALLENGER, LABOR ANALYST: At the moment, the high-tech new economy companies are most likely to respect that degree. As the degree gains currency, the rest of the economy and companies will follow.</s>BUCKLEY: And if Saylor's university eventually goes online, it would be a degree that students would receive free of charge. Frank Buckley, CNN, New York.
American Billionaire Starting up Free Internet University