Pitt student board endorses effort to trim textbook costs
An effort to cut textbook expenses facing thousands of University of Pittsburgh students through greater use of “open” educational resources in the classroom appears to be gaining momentum among campus leaders.
A committee being formed by provost Patricia Beeson is expected to explore options, including a student-developed idea calling for expanded use by faculty of these lower-cost materials, and creation by Pitt of grants and other incentives for professors willing to participate.
The resolution passed the student government board by an 8-0 vote Tuesday night.
At least one faculty leader already has endorsed the idea, which supporters say could help students who pay by some estimates $500 to $1,000 a year for commercial texts and related materials. It is especially critical, say those backers, since Pitt has been among the top-priced public universities in the nation in recent years.
Base tuition on the main campus for 2017-18 is $18,130 for Pennsylvanians and $29,692 for out-ofstate students, not counting room, board and other fees.
“Anything we can do to make it more affordable for students is a step in the right direction,” said Max Kneis, 21, board president, a senior finance and accounting major from West Chester, Pa.
The resolution passed by the board defined these open educational resources as “syllabi, lesson plans, lab books, worksheets, video, lectures, textbooks, and full courses published under an Open License that allows their reuse and repurposing by others and are freely available for anyone to use online.”
It described an “open textbook” as “a textbook written by education professionals and released online under an Open License permitting everyone to freely use, print, share, and adapt the material.”
The resolution noted that it is faculty prerogative to choose what class materials are most suitable, and that it is appropriate for them to consider open educational resources as long as instructional quality is not reduced.
Those behind the Pitt effort point to similar initiatives in use or being developed at institutions elsewhere, including the University of Connecticut, University of Maryland and University of North Dakota.
Mr. Kneis said the hope is to have something in place by the fall. He is listed as an author of the resolution, along with Krishani Patel and Sarah Grguras.
Ms. Beeson’s office is still assembling the committee, Pitt spokesman Joseph Miksch said Wednesday. The university had no additional comment.
However, both Mr. Kneis and University Senate president Frank Wilson said the administration appears supportive of the idea.
Speaking after Tuesday’s faculty assembly meeting, Mr. Wilson said use of open educational resources would be a courseby-course decision, but he said it makes sense.
“I think it’s a terrific idea,” said Mr. Wilson, an assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice at Pitt’s Greensburg campus. “I think it’s necessary.”