Cost is a barrier to universal access to higher education. Faculty can make a significant impact by considering cost when adopting textbooks for their courses. Open textbooks (textbooks licensed with a Creative Commons or similar license) are an affordable solution. Faculty can find open textbooks at http://open.umn.edu. Take a look, and see what a difference you can make!

1. OPEN TEXTBOOKS
Access, Affordability, and Academic Success
David Ernst, PhD

2. “…higher education shall be
equally accessible to all…”
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations) - http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

3. The cost barrier kept
2.4 million
low and moderate-income college-qualified high
school graduates from completing college in the
previous decade.
The Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED529499.pdf

4. $11,000
$10,000
$9,000
$8,000
$7,000
$6,000
$5,000
$4,000
$3,000
http://www.sheeo.org
Minnesota Higher Education Funding - $/FTE
$2,000
1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012
$/FTE
State Funding Tuition Revenue

5. 1,800
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
Affording Tuition - University of Minnesota
61-62 71-72 81-82 91-92 01-02 11-12
Hours of Work @ Minimum Wage
Year

6. The average borrower owes more than
$29,400
in student loans (class of 2012).
Institute for College Access and Success http://projectonstudentdebt.org/files/pub/Student_Debt_and_the_Class_of_2012_NR.pdf

7. 1,400
1,300
1,200
1,100
1,000
900
800
700
600
500
400
Consumer Revolving Credit Student Loan Debt
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
$ Billions
Federal Reserve http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g19/Current/

8. What can we do?
Tuition and Fees
Room and Board
Books and Supplies
Personal Expenses
Transportation

9. What can we do?
Tuition and Fees
Room and Board
Books and Supplies
Personal Expenses
Transportation

10. 0%
100%
200%
300%
400%
500%
600%
700%
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
% Increase
Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/cpi/
Textbooks CPI
Textbook prices have risen
4x
the rate of inflation since 1981

11. The average student can expect to pay
$1,200
on textbooks and course materials in 2014-15.
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/college-costs/quick-guide-college-costs

12. What do you think about the cost of textbooks?

13. Video Removed

14. The Academic Impact
Purchase an older edition of the textbook
Delay purchasing the textbook
Never purchase the textbook

15. "I figured French hadn't changed that much.”
-U of MN Student

16. 59%
of students report that they have had to wait for
their financial aid check to purchase textbooks.
Unpublished Minnesota State University Student Association survey

17. Have you ever delayed purchasing a
textbook because of cost?

18. Video Removed

19. 7/10
students surveyed hadn’t bought a required
textbook due to cost.
http://www.slideshare.net/txtbks/open-education-and-solving-the-textbook-cost-crisis

20. In your academic career, has the cost of required
textbooks caused you to:
63.6% Not purchase the required textbook
49.2% Take fewer courses
45.1% Not register for a specific course
33.9% Earn a poor grade
26.7% Drop a course
17.0% Fail a course
http://www.openaccesstextbooks.org/pdf/2012_Florida_Student_Textbook_Survey.pdf

22. What if…

25. All
Rights
Reserved
Some
Rights
Reserved

27. But wait, there’s more!

28. BY NC SA ND

31. Open Textbooks

33. Where does the funding come from?
Universities (Rice University, SUNY, Purdue,
Oregon State)
Foundations (Hewlett Foundation)
Governments (California, British Columbia)
Professional Organizations (CALI)

35. Introductory, algebra-based, two-semester
college physics
1272 pages
Available in
PDF
ePub
Print
Web
Bookshare (accessible)
Instructor solution manual
Powerpoint slides

36. What can we do?
• Look to see if there’s a book that will work for
your students. Adopt if you can.
• Raise awareness - talk with colleagues in your
program and department

37. open.umn.edu
dernst@umn.edu
David Ernst