Each public institution of higher education shall include in its strategic plan information indicating to what extent, if any, it will use distance learning to expand access to, improve the quality of, and minimize the cost of education at such institution. For institutions that use distance learning or plan to use distance learning in the future, such information shall include the degree to which distance learning will be integrated into the curriculum, benchmarks for measuring such integration, and a schedule for the evaluation of distance learning courses. The Council shall assist the governing board of each public institution of higher education in the development of such information.