Smitty - I totally agree that the Covid situation is normalizing online education and that top schools could / should enroll more students to e-learning. Watching both my kids e-learn, one in college and one a senior in high school I am currently not very impressed. It seems the workload is lighter, there are more pass/fail options, withdrawals without consequence etc... These things are likely more a consequence of the quick move to e-learning. College is also about networking, learning to live away from home which includes finding "work" life balance and of course playing baseball. Your point is right though - things have certainly changed going forward.
For me though my biggest concern is what will happen to colleges that are forced to go remote in September, they likely can't adjust costs this quickly. They will cut what they deem "non-essential" or sports that don't make money. As you say second-tier schools and below won't be able to enroll more students quickly and then they have to figure out what to do with them when campuses open. The perspective of posters who work at colleges would be helpful. I know there is at least one.