ABSTRACT The U.S. online program manager (OPM) market has grown substantially in the past decade, as many colleges and universities have sought third-party servicers to help expand and develop their online offerings. Yet, the approach of contracting with OPMs has raised concerns of policymakers, think tanks, higher education critics, and even some campus leaders – with discussions and advocacy of federal policy changes governing higher education’s use of third-party servicers. To understand why universities engage with these for-profit companies, despite the extensive criticisms they have received, we examined the drivers to outsource with OPMs as an organizational strategy. Findings suggest four primary drivers that comprise the College Curation Strategy Framework: react to competitive pressures with speed; access initial, upfront capital; address gaps in capacity and capabilities; and learn and scale-up in house. This framework may help guide decision making when HEIs consider outsourcing. Implications for research and practice are discussed.