Harvard divides its credentials into "tiers", if you will. There are students who go through the competitive admissions process, and there's the Extension School which is basically open enrollment, even if you want to take courses for-credit. You only have to apply if you want to pursue a full Bachelors or Masters, and even then you're given the chance to prove yourself by doing good in a handful of courses.

I personally never thought I could experience Harvard before I found out that CS50 (and tons of other CS courses) could be taken for-credit and even lead to a degree.

Harvard also has online-only, non-credit programs like Harvard Business Online (formerly HBX) and HMX (Medical courses).

Harvard can, and does, strengthen its brand by opening itself to the public. There's a huge spectrum between being a totally-closed institution and being completely open enrollment.

Because it's Harvard's network and not the lectures that make the brand.

Without being on campus and making friends / contacts with these people how is the brand useful?

"Oh man that looks like dilhead3112 from my M&A, I thought e worked here and that is definitely their green poomoji face, we should go talk to him! Probbably saved this company!"

But seriously if their brand is networking, having a tight well filtered network I think would be a lot better for them. And if no one meets in person isn't that also bad for their brand? Everyone essentially becomes 2nd contacts (via harvard) on linked in.

Campus will be back the year after.

Then what's the point of expanding to online beyond the capacity of their campus to support next year (beyond typical attrition)?