1. BOARD of GOVERNORS State University System of Florida
State University System Textbook and Instructional Materials Affordability
Dr. Jon Rogers, Associate Vice Chancellor,
Innovation and Online Education
January 30,
Highlights of the Annual Report – PREPARED BY OUR ACADEMIC & STUDENT AFFAIRS TEAM - on
“TEXTBOOK AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AFFORDABILITY that you received from the Chancellor in early November.

2. Textbook and Instructional Materials Affordability
The 2016 Legislature passed House Bill 7019, which amended the existing law on COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY and directed the Board of Governors and the State Board of Education to:
Annually identify strategies to promote college affordability for all Floridians.
LAW directs BOG to submit report that
ANNUALLY IDENTIFIES STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY FOR ALL FLORIDIANS.

3. Textbook and Instructional Materials Affordability
Specifically, HB 7019 established new requirements regarding the textbook & instructional materials adoption process at state universities and state colleges in Florida.
Institutions are now required to post a hyperlink to lists of the textbooks & instructional materials for at least 95% to all courses & course sections at least 45 days prior to the start of classes.
The KEY Component of the Law:
To Increase access for students to information on academic course requirements and textbook costs
Institutions are now required to post a hyperlink on their websites to lists of the textbooks & instructional materials for at least 95% to all courses & course sections at least 45 days prior to the start of classes.

4. Textbook and Instructional Materials Affordability
Each State University submits an annual report to the Chancellor on its Affordability Initiatives,
with four components:
The selection process for all general education course materials and to identify cost variances.
Specific initiatives to reduce student textbook costs.
Institution policies for the posting of course materials information.
The number of courses & course sections that met the posting deadline of 45 days prior to the start of classes.
Report due November 1

5. Textbook and Instructional Materials Affordability
University Initiatives designed to reduce Student Costs:
Grant programs that reward faculty for offering free or low cost course materials to students.
Campus textbook loan/lending libraries, rental programs.
Ten institutions have adopted OpenStax, free online course materials.
“Affordability” initiatives that are reducing course materials down to $20 per credit hour.
E-Books that provide open access to students.
Library provides space for free access to course materials and computerized web access to materials.
FOCUS ON UNIVERSITY INITIATIVES AND FACULTY INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO REDUCE COSTS.
THIS SLIDE DISPLAYS A FEW.
YOU WILL RECALL THE VIDEOS AT OUR NOVEMBER WORKSHOP ON OER WHERE FACULTY DISCUSS SOME OF THESE INITIATIVES.
FSU – grant program.
OpenStax – nonprofit educational initiative based at Rice University. Publish openly licensed textbooks that are free online and low cost in print.

6. Textbook and Instructional Materials Affordability
Faculty Initiatives designed to reduce Student Costs:
Faculty maintain webpages for their courses, with free access to course materials.
Faculty are increasingly compiling for and directing students to free or low cost materials for their courses.
Re-designing of courses to:
Produce an updated course with free or low cost materials.
Collaborate with discipline faculty globally to rewrite a course, using high quality, free or low cost course instructional materials.
Identify existing open-access materials and recommend reputable alternative sources.
Recommend multiple uses for re-engineered course materials.
Pilot innovative instructional materials for digital delivery.
OpenStax – nonprofit educational initiative based at Rice University. Publish openly licensed textbooks that are free online and low cost in print.

7. Textbook/Instructional Materials Posting Requirements
Key Finding The 2018 SUS Report found that 97% of all course sections across the System met the posting requirement for Spring 2018, up from 94% for Fall 2017.
Institutions not meeting the posting requirement:
Fall 2017 – FAU (74%) and UCF (85%)
Spring 2018 – FGCU (86%) and UNF (92%)
FGCU – reported some coding errors in how course sections were identified; so were not reported completely.
UNF – Timing issues internally for reporting of course deadlines – resulted in backlog that was not picked up in reporting process.
UNIVERSITY FACULTY, ADMINISTRATORS, AND STUDENT GOVERNMENTS CONTINUE TO EXPLORE WAYS TO REDUCE COSTS FOR STUDENTS FOR BOOKS AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND TO MEET THE POSTING REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW.
Campuses now have an affordability committee focusing on student costs and required fees, most with student representation.

8. BOARD of GOVERNORS www.flbog.edu State University System of Florida
Rev. 2014