JANUARY 22, 2025 — The UTSA Libraries has awarded 12 faculty members 2024-2025 Adopt-a-Free Textbook grants to improve education while reducing the cost of course materials for students. The recipients represent various academic disciplines, including Russian, education, history, public administration, humanities and social sciences, women's studies, environmental sciences, sociology and chemistry. The grants will result in nearly $240,000 in student savings over the grant period.
This year's awardees are advancing UTSA's mission of affordability and inclusivity in education by adopting, adapting or creating free and low-cost course materials or Open Educational Resource (OER) textbooks as the primary instructional materials in their courses. The savings generated by these efforts support students financially and enhance access to high-quality educational resources.
"The Adopt-a-Free Textbook program is a cornerstone of UTSA Libraries’ commitment to student success,” said Dean Hendrix, UTSA vice provost and university librarian. By providing faculty with the ability to provide free and open educational resources, we help ensure that all students, regardless of their financial situation, have access to the materials they need to excel.”
The Adopt-a-Free Textbook program allows faculty to provide free and open educational resources to students.
He added, “Since its inception in 2016, the UTSA Libraries has proudly managed this program, supporting faculty in their efforts to reduce costs and enhance learning outcomes for our vibrant student body. As a result, UTSA Libraries has saved UTSA students over $12 million since 2016."
This year’s Adopt-a-Free Textbook grants were awarded to faculty with projects categorized into Adoption, No Cost and Design. These categories reflect the faculty's various approaches to reducing the cost of course materials for UTSA students.
"These grants are vital in ensuring that all students have equal access to the resources they need to succeed, regardless of their financial situation,” said Dee Ann Ivie, UTSA Libraries’ OER coordinator. “We are inspired by our dedicated faculty for their commitment to adopting and creating open educational resources. Their passion for making education more affordable and accessible is truly impactful, and we thank them for their unwavering support of our students' success."
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