In the TV Tome A Different World episode guide, it's mentioned that this episode was intended to be the backdoor for a possible spinoff.

Interesting.

Sure seems like one since none of the older students and characters are in it and it is one of the very last episodes they made. I think it's better that it didn't get picked up though. ADF left well enough alone which is better. Billie Dee would have gotten tiresome, Leslie Uggams didn't have any chemistry with the students and except for Lena and Terrell the newer students were nowhere near as interesting as their predecessors individually or as a unit.