73 Institutions Selected to Participate in AAC&U Institute on Open Educational Resources

The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) announced today the seventy-three institutions selected to participate in its 2022–23 Institute on Open Educational Resources. This yearlong institute supports educators in launching, expanding, or hastening campus adoption of free and affordable instructional materials. The institute began with a two-day virtual kickoff event on July 14–15, 2022, and will conclude with a capstone closing event on July 13–14, 2023.

Open educational resources (OER) are educational materials, from single lessons to entire textbooks, that are free for faculty and students to use, customize, and share. They have been proven to be a viable affordability strategy for higher education, saving students—and often institutions—money. Providing all students with free materials on the first day of class also tends to level the academic playing field. Research on OER has demonstrated that performance gaps have been narrowed and failure and withdrawal rates have been reduced in some contexts.

“As an effective strategy for advancing both quality and equity in higher education, OER is an increasingly essential component of student success initiatives at colleges and universities of all types,” said AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella. “The AAC&U Institute on Open Educational Resources provides those leading campus OER efforts with an unparalleled opportunity for sustained support and collaboration. We look forward to partnering with each of the participating institutions over the coming year.”

Beginning with the July 14–15 kickoff event, participating teams of faculty, staff, and administrators engage in activities to facilitate the development of OER implementation plans. Institute faculty serve as partners for campus planning and project development. Campus teams will have consultative opportunities to interact with the Institute’s faculty throughout the fall and spring terms as their plans are implemented and evolve. Monthly webinars and cross-institutional planning meetings will be hallmarks of the yearlong Institute.

“Our kickoff was designed to develop action plans and to establish momentum toward enaction during the fall semester and beyond,” said C. Edward Watson, AAC&U Associate Vice President for Curricular and Pedagogical Innovation. “This Institute’s yearlong model also provides each campus with a national OER expert as a mentor. This approach will enable us to provide personalized assistance and consultation throughout the year as participating campuses move toward institutional transformation.”

The following institutions are participating in the 2022–22 Institute on Open Educational Resources:

• Arkansas Tech University
• Austin Peay State University
• Ball State University
• Bard College
• Berea College
• Berkshire Community College
• Bethune-Cookman
• Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
• California State University-Bakersfield
• City Colleges of Chicago Wilbur Wright
• College of the Desert
• College Unbound
• Compton Community College
• Dominican University
• Drexel University
• East Los Angeles College
• Eastern Connecticut State University
• Eastern Iowa Community College District-Scott Community College
• Elmhurst Unviersity
• Fitchburg State University
• Florida SouthWestern State College
• Framingham State University
• Granite State College
• Holy Family University
• Illinois Central College
• Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
• Irvine Valley College
• Juniata College
• La Salle University
• Lake-Sumter State College
• Long Beach City College
• Los Angeles City College
• Los Angeles Mission College
• Macalester College
• Mesa Community College
• Miami Dade College
• Moreno Valley College
• Morningside College
• Motlow State Community College
• Norco College
• Normandale Community College
• Oregon Health & Science University
• Owens Community College
• Pasadena City College
• PASCAL (South Carolina Commission on Higher Education)
• Phoenix College
• Reedley College
• Riverside City College
• Salem State University
• San Jose City College
• South Texas College
• Southwestern College
• St. John Fisher University
• St. Louis Community College
• Stockton University
• Tennessee State University
• Texas Tech University
• The University of the South
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• University of Maryland
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• University of Montana
• University Nevada, Reno
• University of Nevada-Las Vegas
• University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
• University of the Pacific
• Weber State University
• West Los Angeles College
• West Virginia Northern Community College
• Wheaton College
• Winthrop University
• Woodland Community College
• Yuba College

About AAC&U

The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is a global membership organization dedicated to advancing the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation, and excellence in liberal education. Through our programs and events, publications and research, public advocacy, and campus-based projects, AAC&U serves as a catalyst and facilitator for innovations that improve educational quality and equity and that support the success of all students. In addition to accredited public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities and state higher education systems and agencies throughout the United States, our membership includes degree-granting higher education institutions in more than twenty-five countries as well as other organizations and individuals. To learn more, visit www.aacu.org.