1. Open Educational Resources (OER)
Zara T. Wilkinson Paul Robeson Library
Rutgers University-Camden

2. Textbook Affordability
The average US college student spends $1,200 per year on textbooks or other required course materials.
The average student at Rutgers spends $1,350.
In 2014, U.S. Public Interest Research Group surveyed 2,000 students. 65% had decided not to purchase a textbook because of cost.
Nearly half said they choose classes based on textbook costs.

3. Textbook Affordability
In 2016, U.S. PIRG surveyed 5,000 students, and 30% reported using financial aid to purchase textbooks.
The average amount of financial aid used was more than $300.
50% of the surveyed students who used financial aid were at community colleges; 28% at 4-year public universities; and 22% at 4- year private universities.
To combat rising textbook costs, alternatives to traditional textbooks, such as e-textbooks and textbook rentals, are becoming more popular.

4. Open Educational Resources (OER)
Open educational resources (OER) are any learning or teaching resources that are available at little or no cost. These can include textbooks, course readings, multimedia, games, or any other material that can be used for educational purposes.
Generally produced outside of the traditional publishing environment and shared free of cost online.
Creative Commons license allows them to be used, shared, and adapted freely.
Written by faculty and peer reviewed.

5. Open Educational Resources (OER)
Where can you find (good quality) (reliable) OER?
Recommended resources: textbooks/resources
Open Textbook Library (University of Minnesota)
OpenStax (Rice University)
Open SUNY (SUNY)
MERLOT (California State University)
… or ask your librarian!
... or write/assemble your own!

6. OER at Rutgers University
In February 2015, the Rutgers University Senate Student Affairs Committee recommended that Rutgers make a specific effort to increase use of OER. “The University Senate endorses the proposal to establish institutionalized use of open textbooks by creating a competitive grant program to award faculty to help convert their class to an open textbook. The University Senate calls on the administration and academic deans to fund these programs by making available twelve $1,000 grants per year to eligible faculty persons, to subsidize time spent finding the appropriate open textbook and all supplementary materials required to teach the course.”

7. Open and Affordable Textbook Grants
In spring 2016, President Barchi charged the Libraries with implementing a pilot grant program to increase textbook affordability at Rutgers.
The Libraries created a task force with representatives from Camden, Newark, New Brunswick, RBHS, and Central Technical Services.
In fall 2016, full-time and part-time faculty at Rutgers were invited to apply to receive a $1,000 incentive grant to design or redesign a course to rely on course materials that are free or affordable.

8. Open and Affordable Textbook Grants
In early 2017, the Libraries awarded thirty-two $1,000 grants to faculty from across Rutgers University.
Funding for program was increased due to caliber of applications.
Grantees represented all Rutgers locations; departments in the humanities, social sciences, sciences, and health sciences; and both full and part-time faculty.
OAT courses will run in spring 2017, fall 2017, or spring 2018.
Estimated savings of $1.6mil for 8,500 students.

9. Why “And Affordable”?
Rutgers OAT grants encourage use of OER but do not require it.
Faculty can make their courses affordable by relying on electronic course reserves or subscription resources from the library, including journal articles, electronic books, and streaming media.

10. Open and Affordable Textbook Grants
Eight grants were awarded to Camden faculty:
Dan Hart, Psychology/Childhood Studies Charlotte Markey, Psychology/Health Sciences Jennifer Oberle, Biology Sarah Allred, Psychology Catherine Bartch, Political Science J.T. Barbarese, English Wendy Woloson, History Rasheda Weaver, Public Policy and Administration