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OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND ZERO TEXTBOOK COST UPDATE, Academic Senate

10/10/23

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An Open Educational Resource:

Is no-cost and openly licensed, often using creative commons licensing;
Can be downloaded as a resource and shared;
Can be downloaded, edited, and reposted.

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Low-Cost textbooks:

Both our local Senate and the ASCCC call for identification of course sections that have adopted Low-Cost textbooks in the online course schedule.

Are textbooks that cost between 1 cent and $40;

Defined by the Academic Senate in Resolution 19-3.

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OER and Low-Cost resources support equity for students:

Statistical analysis reveals that textbook prices are a significant educational barrier for all students, with a disproportionately negative effect among racial/ethnic minorities, low-income students, and first-generation college students.
It is Hartnell College’s responsibility to remove any unnecessary financial barriers to academic success, and to ensure that students’ learning potential is never limited by their purchasing power.

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Data for race, low-income and first gen comparisons:

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OERC Improvements:

Affordable Textbook Options webpage developed and published;

Senate Resolutions drafted, so that Hartnell faculty can apply for funding to develop OER;
Student and faculty surveys administered, to identify issues and opportunities;
Video illustrating advanced search on PAWS self-service created and posted on Affordable Textbook Options webpage to identify course sections that have adopted free and Low-Cost textbooks;
Link to the bookstore created in each course section, so students can identify textbook cost;
List of course sections that have adopted free/Low-Cost textbooks created and posted on ATO webpage;
Student newsletter promulgated and published on ATO webpage, providing cost-savings information directly to students to help them save money on their college education;
OER and Low-cost Canvas shell created to help faculty find free and Low-Cost textbook options;
Course sections that have adopted free and Low-Cost textbooks identified to create affordable pathway to a credential;
ZTC grant applications and program plans developed (Chancellor’s Office).

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Affordable Textbook Options Webpage;

Developed and published;
Contains both faculty and student information;
Provides Lisa Storm contact information.

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Senate Resolutions 19-3, 21-4, 22-4:

19-3: Defines Low-Cost textbooks as $40 or less; calls for identification of Low-Cost textbooks in the online course schedule;

21-4: Supports the development of affordable textbook options, and ZTC/Low-Cost Degrees and Certificates;

22-4: Authorizes Academic Senate OER Coordinator to work on the CCCCO ZTC grant funding.

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Student survey results, 161 responses (2022):

31.4% of students pay $200 for textbooks each semester, and 82.6% also have to purchase a textbook supplement;
29.8% of students have dropped a class because they could not afford the textbooks;
41.6% of students have avoided carrying a full load (12 units) because they could not afford the textbooks;
96.3% would choose a course that adopted a free or Low-Cost textbook over a course that did not;
64% of students say it is not easy to find courses that adopted free or Low-Cost textbooks in the online course schedule;
New survey will be promulgated this fall 2023.

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Faculty Affordable Textbook Adoptions Survey Data (Disaggregated)

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Search video on Affordable Textbook Options page:

Students indicated a need for this in the student survey, as the vast majority find it difficult to locate course sections in the online schedule that have adopted free and Low-Cost textbooks;
Video should be prominently displayed in PAWS self-service.

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State and federal regulations regarding textbook costs:

(a) Each campus of the California Community Colleges and the California State University shall, and each campus of the University of California is requested to, do both of the following:
(1)(A) Clearly highlight, by means that may include a symbol or logo in a conspicuous place on the online campus course schedule, the courses that exclusively use digital course materials that are free of charge to students and may have a low-cost option for print versions.
(B) The course materials described in subparagraph (A) may include open educational resources, institutionally licensed campus library materials that all students enrolled in the course have access to use, and other properly licensed and adopted materials. Each campus of the California State University, each participating campus of the University of California, and each community college district shall ensure that these materials comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 et seq. ) and the federal Copyright Act of 1976 ( Public Law 94-553 ). 1
(2) Clearly communicate to students that the course materials used for the courses identified pursuant to paragraph (1) are free of charge and therefore not required to be purchased.

each institution of higher education receiving Federal financial assistance shall—(1)disclose, on the institution’s Internet course schedule and in a manner of the institution’s choosing, the International Standard Book Number and retail price information of required and recommended college textbooks and supplemental materials for each course listed in the institution’s course schedule used for preregistration and registration purposes

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PAWS Self-Service now complies with state and federal legislation:

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Identification of course sections that have adopted free and Low-Cost textbooks:

List created using the search function of PAWS self-service and faculty reporting;
List is posted on the Affordable Textbook Options page.

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Canvas shell for faculty:

Resources for faculty including OER and Low-Cost repositories, resolutions, surveys and survey results, available webinars and listservs;
Hands-on help anytime it is needed;
Announcements to update faculty on OER and Low-Cost issues.

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Suggested improvements to planning process (Deans/ITR):

Add a line to the scheduling spreadsheet for textbook adoption, either ZTC or Low-Cost;
Allow faculty to “opt out” of designated ZTC or Low-Cost textbook adoption instead of having to “opt in” every semester;
Bookstore database of course adoptions created and shared.

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Our local Senate, ASCCC, and the Legislature call for development of ZTC pathways to a credential:

Our local Senate authorizes the development of ZTC and Low-Cost pathways to a credential in resolution 21-4;
ASCCC authorizes development of ZTC pathways to a credential most recently in resolution 13.08: Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges advocate to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and system partners for allocating a portion of the $115 million for ZTC degrees in the 2021-2022 Budget Act to fund the work of the OERI to reduce duplication and guarantee usability in OER development and implementation as well as ensure a statewide approach and promote sustainability in ZTC degrees.
The Legislature authorizes development of ZTC pathways in Ed Code s. 78052:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that community college districts
develop and implement zero-textbook-cost degrees and
develop open educational resources for courses to reduce the overall cost of education for students and decrease the time it takes students to complete degree programs.

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Chancellor’s Office grants:

ZTC Credential Developers: Cheryl O’Donnell, Brook Foley, Jason Hough, Lisa Storm

Grants:

Implementation grant ($200,000.00 total, $170,000.00 remaining)
Acceleration grant ($200,000.00 each, three applications submitted)

Programs:

Workforce and Academic Readiness Noncredit CT (implementation grant)
COM ADT (implementation grant)
ADJ AS-T with DEI infused in the OER (acceleration grant)
ADJ CT with DEI infused in the OER (acceleration grant)
First Line Supervisor (acceleration grant)

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Workforce and Academic Readiness Certificate:

Noncredit CTE Certificate;
Supports both pre-career and pre-college students;
Potential beneficiaries: recent high school and college graduates, students that choose to explore various Meta Majors, Rising Scholars, DACA, non-native English-speaking students, HEP students;
Potential uses: Summer bridge to prepare for college or a career, exploration of various Meta Major disciplines, post-release Rising Scholars students, year-round preparation for the workplace and higher education;
All mirrored courses, some courses may be taught in Spanish;
Can be completed in one semester or one summer session;
Courses provide credit for prior learning to support a Degree or for credit Certificate.

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COMMUNICATION STUDIES ADT, ZTC PATHWAY

Adds additional options for major electives (to allow ZTC options)
Designed to fulfill the requirements of the new Cal-GETC (Fall 2025)
All courses currently listed have been committed to ZTC for at least two semesters
As ZTC options grow (or ebb), edits to the pathway will be made yearly

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Communication Studies ADT

ZTC Pathway

Cal-GETC

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