Facing Backlash, Minnesota Decides to Allow Free Online Courses After All

Princeton and Stanford can rest easy now that Minnesota higher-education officials have backed off threats to track down dozens of universities like them for offering free online courses in their state without permission.

On Friday, just hours after an administrator in the Minnesota Office of Higher Education said the state planned to demand registration and fees from universities that were offering the non-credit classes through the online course provider Coursera, the director of his office struck a more conciliatory tone.

Technically, he said, the dozens of universities offering courses through Coursera were violating a 20-year-old Minnesota law that requires universities to get permission from the state first.

But after his office’s tough stance prompted a flurry of complaints and critical blog posts, the director, Lawrence Pogemiller, said, essentially, never mind.

» via The Chronicle of Higher Education (Subscription may be required for some content)