Legislation seeks charter for new Internet university

June 25, 2005
PROVIDENCE, R.I. --A charter for a new online university would be established under legislation before the General Assembly
The online school would be known as Ocean State University, would have no physical location, and would work with businesses to enroll workers.
Sodexho, a food and facilities-management company that runs school-lunch programs in Rhode Island, operated a similar program, called Sodexho University, for the past three years. But it lost its accreditation in April.
The proposed school would accommodate the 32 students in Rhode Island currently enrolled in Sodexho University, along with about 60 Sodexho employees elsewhere who risk losing their credits toward degrees, the Providence Journal reported Saturday.
"It's a last-minute rescue attempt, frankly," said Harry Lenderman, who is seeking the charter for Ocean State University and would be the school's founder.
One of the bill's sponsors, Rep. Peter L. Lewiss, D-Westerly, said he did not expect a hearing on the legislation this year.
"I introduced the legislation to start the discussion," Lewiss said in a statement Friday. "I realize there will not be time to have a hearing this year, but members will now be aware of this and I will reintroduce the legislation next year."
The General Assembly's session ends next week. State approval is required before some accrediting agencies review courses.
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