Fall 2025, Resolution Number 114.04
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has long supported lowering course material costs through the adoption of open educational resources[1];
Whereas, The adoption of open educational resources saves students money, but gathering the data to calculate actual cost-savings is labor-intensive and there is no standardized systemwide method to facilitate the calculation of savings that colleges could use to track and quantify savings;
Whereas, A simple standardized method for calculating the cost savings that result from the adoption of open educational resources, such as using a stipulated class size and textbook cost, would allow for the compilation of savings-related data and as well as support the advocacy for ongoing OER funding; and
Whereas, Data demonstrating the return on investment associated with open educational resources (OER) is necessary to advocate for ensuring the sustainability of OER efforts[2];
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with system partners to research and develop a standardized method for calculating student savings resulting from the adoption of open educational resources that can be applied across all California community colleges, simplifying the gathering of impact data and allowing for publication and comparisons and to present this recommended method for consideration by local academic senates no later than the 2026 Spring Plenary Session.
[1] Resolution 17.02 F18 Establish Local Open Educational Resources Liaison and Resolution 03.05 F21 Zero Means Zero Textbook Cost
[2] Resolution 11.03 S21 Advocate for On-Going Funding for the ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative