Document Type

University Document

Publication Date

6-2022

Contributors

Learning Materials Access and Affordability Task Force:
Shannon Smith, Open Educational Resources Librarian, Albertsons Library (chair)
Mary Aagard, Head of Acquisitions and Collections, Albertsons Library
Michelle Armstrong, Interim Dean, Albertsons Library
Dr. Zeynep Hansen, Vice Provost of Academic Planning
Dr. Sherena Huntsman, Assistant Professor, English Department
Michal Jarolimek, Associate Director, Bronco Shop
Graf Kirk, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Associated Students of Boise State University
Dr. Leif Nelson, Director, Learning Technology Solutions
Mandy Nelson, Registrar
Dr. Karen Nicholas, Assistant Professor, Management Department
Dr. Candyce Reynolds, Director, University Foundations
Dr. Daniel Sanford, Director, Center for Teaching and Learning
Elisabeth Shook, Head of Scholarly Communications and Data Management, Albertsons Library
Wendy Turner, Director, Educational Access Center
Amy Vecchione, Assistant Director, eCampus Research and Innovation

Abstract

After input from faculty senate representatives from around the state of Idaho as well as representatives from community colleges, the State Board of Education passed Policy III. U, Instructional Material Access and Affordability during the summer of 2021. This policy requires postsecondary institutions to develop a plan in support of access and affordability of learning materials.

Policy III. U. asks that plans address the following elements:

  • Resources and support to help faculty ensure all instructional materials are relevant and accessible for all students, especially those who require learning accommodations or additional modes of delivery (e.g. a print version of a digital textbook, internet access, etc.).

  • Policies and/or strategies that minimize the cost of instructional materials for students while maintaining the quality of education, the academic freedom and responsibility of faculty and students, and the recognition that the average cost of instructional materials is higher in certain disciplines, and some disciplines require higher cost materials which are used over multiple terms or throughout an entire program.

  • Professional development opportunities for faculty and staff related to the discovery, adoption, and use of OER and other affordable instructional materials.

  • Strategies to support faculty adoption, adaption, and/or use of OER and other affordable instructional materials.

  • Programs, incentive structures, or other strategies to encourage and support faculty to publicly share OER developed for their own courses.

  • Course marking processes at the time of course schedule releases that indicate the cost of instructional materials in course sections that are reliably zero cost or very low cost, as defined in this policy.

  • Course marking processes at the time of course schedule releases that indicate course sections that reliably require the purchase of, including an automatic charge for, any access codes for instructional materials.

  • Strategies with measurable goals for improving and using readily available and relevant OER or other very low cost instructional materials in common indexed courses as articulated in Board Policy III.N.6.b, including dual credit courses.

Although open educational resources (OER) are a component of the required plans, the policy addresses affordability of learning materials in a broader sense. Therefore, in order to move a plan forward for Boise State University in a thoughtful manner, it needed to include voices from diverse campus stakeholders. At the end of 2021, the Provost’s Office appointed a Learning Materials Access and Affordability (LMAA) Task Force charged with the development of a university plan in support of access and affordability of instructional materials.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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