Fall 2022; Resolution 17.03
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has urged local academic senates to identify an open educational resources (OER) liaison (Resolution F18 17.02)[1] and subsequently encouraged local colleges to identify and support a faculty OER coordinator because various opportunities for obtaining funding for local OER efforts require that a coordinator be identified to oversee the work and significant increases in OER usage are reported when a local advocate has dedicated time to support OER adoption (Resolution S19 13.02)[2];
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges Open Educational Resources Initiative (OERI) has established and supported a statewide network of OER Liaisons who facilitate OER-related communication between the colleges and the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges but who may not be locally supported to serve as OER coordinators who would engage in activities above and beyond those of OER Liaisons;
Whereas, Resolution S16 09.09[3] asserted the primacy of faculty in curricular decisions regarding degree and program developments, including zero textbook cost (ZTC) degrees and emphasized the need to ensure that the primacy of faculty is retained by including the local academic senate’s approval of the development of such degrees, and Phase 1 of the ZTC Program is composed of grants in the amount of $20,000 awarded to the 115 accredited degree-granting California community colleges to plan the development and implementation of a ZTC degree or certificate program, an endeavor that requires faculty leadership and the support of administration and staff; and
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) recognizes open educational resources (OER) as the preferred and most sustainable mechanism for eliminating course costs (Resolution F21 03.05),[4] positioning the ASCCC OER Initiative and local OER Liaisons to advocate for OER to be the focus when implementing the Zero Textbook Cost Program;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges encourage local academic senates to consult with their Open Educational Resources Liaisons when developing their Zero Textbook Cost Program plans;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges urge local academic senates to work with their administrations and other appropriate college constituencies to establish a faculty coordinator position that plays a leadership role with respect to the local implementation of the Zero Textbook Cost Program and may serve as the college’s Open Educational Resources Liaison; and
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges encourage local academic senates to work with their administrative colleagues to use a portion of the Zero Textbook Cost Program funds to support a faculty coordinator who leads the college’s open educational resources and Zero Textbook Cost Program efforts.
[1] Resolution F18 17.02 Establish Local Open Educational Resources Liaisons: https://asccc.org/resolutions/establish-local-open-educational-resources-liaisons.
[2] Resolution S19 13.02 Support for Faculty Open Educational Resources Coordinators: https://asccc.org/resolutions/support-faculty-open-educational-resources-coordinators-0.
[3] Resolution S16 09.09 Z-Degrees and Faculty Primacy: https://asccc.org/resolutions/z-degrees-and-faculty-primacy.
[4] Resolution F21 03.05 Zero Means Zero Textbook Cost: https://asccc.org/resolutions/zero-means-zero-textbook-cost.