Online education, at least where it makes sense. STEM classes with labs would be difficult but pretty much any other topic can be done online. We have cyberschools that seem to do well. I’m taking online classes now for some CS certifications. It works well. Education is moving this direction anyway. I understand the resistance because it will disrupt jobs but it doesn’t change that online learning will grow. The market wants what the market wants.
My MBA program offered long distance learning classes in the early 90’s before the internet. I took one because it looked interesting. I was on-campus for the class but it was in a production studio. The off-site students seemed engaged. It worked better than I thought it would.
Rural is a relative term. There are many rural areas in PA but almost all are within an hour (or less) of some type of campus. West Texas or Montana maybe not. But those are exceptions. Do you keep an expensive campus open for 50 students? 500 students?
After looking through a few financial statements of some colleges it’s expensive to keep a campus running with all the bells and whistles. I certainly think vouchers for room and board would cost less (maybe way less) than keeping low enrollment campuses open.