UTSA Libraries

UTSA Libraries began leading the OER effort in 2016, joining as an Institutional Partner with OpenStax. To date, UTSA Libraries has awarded just under approximately 130 grants to faculty adopting OER and other affordable learning materials into their courses through the Adopt a Free Textbook Program, with cumulative and projected student savings of just over $9 million. UTSA Libraries is a member of the Open Education Network and the Texas Digital Library with connections to many other OER networks that support OER adoption and innovation. In partnership with Academic Innovation, UTSA Libraries is launching UTSA Pressbooks, an OER authoring platform, moving UTSA to the fore of OER publishing in Texas.

OER Support for Faculty

• Identifying existing OER for adoption, adaptation, and redistribution
• Answering questions on Creative Commons licenses for adoption and authoring. Librarians are Creative Commons Certified
• Guiding on the use of existing OER for use, adaptation, and redistribution
• Guiding on copyright and fair use
• Creating research guides for courses
• Guiding on OER sharing for the broadest impact
• Awarding Adopt a Free Textbook Grants

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Academic Innovation

Academic Innovation harnesses talent and skills across campus in support of student and faculty success with expertise in curriculum design, effective teaching strategies, instructional design, learning technologies, creative media and video production, online learning programs, and continuous education. The division's overarching goal is to promote innovative, quality, and accessible teaching and learning experiences.

Academic innovation led UTSA's transition to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Academic Innovation has also guided UTSA's recognition as the first four-year public Creative Cloud Campus in Texas, and is promoting a cultural change across the entire institution to implement nationally recognized standards for quality and accessible online education.

OER Support for Faculty

• Course design integrating OER
• Suggestions for assessments and activities revolving around OER
• Blackboard integration of OER
• Creation of multimodal content with the use of the Adobe Cloud suite (UTSA is an Adobe Creative Campus)
• Accessibility (our team includes a digital accessibility area)
• Training on the creation and management of digital content
• Universal design that ensures accessibility for all students

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UTSA Student Government

SGA partners with the UTSA Libraries on OER awareness initiatives, including advocacy and support for faculty adopting affordable learning materials. UTA SGA members have also served on many UT System task forces including the UT System Affordable Learning Accelerator Task Force.

"Among all of the stressors that students have been feeling, textbooks have been a depressing reminder of the small costs that do add up. To students, they'll never know all of the work that goes into initiatives like this, but they will understand how much we care for them when we accomplish projects like these. SGA is a proud partner in this endeavor, and we're here every step of the way to support increased OER adoption."

-SGA President: Jose "Andy" Escobedo

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Office of the Registrar

The Registrar collaborates with the UTSA Libraries and the Bookstore to provide a reporting mechanism for faculty adopting OER and other affordable textbooks.

The Libraries, the Office of the Registrar, and the Campus Bookstore partnered with UTSA Student Government Association to arrive at the $40 or less low cost textbook designation.

The Low Cost Textbook filter in the UTSA class schedules makes it easier for students to find courses with affordable textbooks.

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Rowdy Campus Bookstore

The Campus Bookstore works in partnership with the Libraries, the Office of the Registrar, University Technology Solutions, and Student Government Association to support affordable textbook transparency at UTSA.

The bookstore also provides a faculty search mechanism for OER through Follett Discover and ensures print copies of affordable textbooks are available for students that prefer print.

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UTSA Advising

UTSA Advising works in partnership with UTSA Libraries to promote the Low Cost Textbook filter to students during registration, connecting students to more affordable UTSA courses.