What Students Are Saying

Student groups have been advocating for open and affordable textbooks in California and nationwide. In 2021, University of California students passed a resolution encouraging UC to invest in openly accessible course materials.

Nationally, the Make Textbooks Affordable campaign, led by Student PIRGs (Public Interest Research Group), advocates for free or low-cost college textbooks. Make Textbooks Affordable has released research on textbook affordability and provides resources and action items for student advocates.

Resources for OER student advocates:
Making Textbooks Affordable: Student Government Toolkit (Student Government Resource Center)
OER Student Advocate Toolkit (Created by OER student advocate leaders in the California Community College and California State University systems)
Open Textbooks Organizing Toolkit (Student PIRGs)

 

Student Feedback on ACM/OER Course

"Being able to access readings for low cost is very valuable, knowledge should not be taxed :)"
"I think it makes it easier on the student plus the professor gets to tailor the reading to what they want to teach and aren't constrained to what an already written book says."
"love not having to choose between a textbook and 2 weeks worth of groceries :)"
"Being able to access reading materials without having to pay a ton of money was very valuable, access to knowledge should not be elitist"
"Thank you for providing free resources! It makes the classroom more equal and it encourages everybody to actually do the readings"