Online courses thrive at JCC - KELLY L. REYNOLDS, Watertown Daily Times

Jefferson Community College began offering 15-week, full-semester online classes in 2001. Since then, enrollment for the classes has skyrocketed and the college is offering condensed eight-week courses and, most recently, four-week courses. "Typically each semester, about 25 percent of the student body at Jefferson takes at least one course online," said Edward J. Knapp, dean for curriculum and instruction at the college.... Mr. Knapp also said it helps with the rising gasoline prices. "It solves the issue of commuting from a distance, especially with gas prices and transportation costs the way they are," he said. "In the winter, about 60 percent of the students who took the courses were outside of the area."