3 SPEC Kit 351: Affordable Course Content and Open Educational Resources
domain, openly licensed, library licensed/subscribed materials. Campus-wide ACC/OER initiatives are at
times embedded within other teaching and learning initiatives.
The survey asked which entity originated the ACC/OER initiative and which are involved in
implementing it. Respondents indicated that their libraries have taken the lead in originating ACC/
OER efforts well over half of the time (29 of 45 responses, or 64%). Higher-level administration, such
as a president, provost, or vice provost, is the second most frequent initiator of their institution’s ACC/
OER initiatives (17 or 38%). Other initiators include extension, distance learning, or colleges/academic
units, instructional design groups, student organizations, the university bookstore, and local or regional
consortia. Notably, only two respondents reported that a faculty development or faculty governance
group had originated their ACC/OER initiatives.
Libraries are more likely to be involved in implementing (33 or 73%) than in originating an
initiative. Other entities showing high levels of involvement in implementation include teaching and
learning groups (16 or 36%), instructional design groups (15 or 33%), college/academic department/units
(33%), high-level administration (10 or 22%), university bookstores (9 or 20%), and student organizations
(8 or 18%).
The majority of respondents (32 or 70%) indicated that their existing or planned campus
initiative includes both affordable and openly licensed course content. Twelve (26%) are focused only on
openly licensed content, and two (4%) reported focusing only on affordable course content.
Governance of Campus-Wide Initiatives
Fewer than 40% of respondents reported having a standing committee or limited-term task force/
working group as their ACC/OER initiative governing structure. Many reported unofficial partnerships
with one or more groups, oversight arrangements to get the work done, and informal collaborations. A
few reported there is no governance structure at all.
Of the 35 respondents who identified which entities participate in or lead an ACC/OER
governance body, the majority (31 or 89%) indicated that libraries are represented in the group. In
addition to libraries, student organizations and teaching &learning groups were identified as active
participants in around half of the governing bodies. Twenty-five percent of respondents indicated some
representation from each of the following: high-level administration, college/academic department/unit,
academic computing, instruction design group, university bookstore, faculty governance body, and the
faculty development center. At three institutions the university press participates.
Half of the governing bodies are lead by the library, while at eight institutions high-level
administration is the leader (29%). A representative of another group takes the lead at one or two
institutions and in a few cases there is joint leadership.
Funding of Campus-Wide Initiatives
Library general operating budgets, external grants, or library special project funds were identified as the
most frequent sources of funding for ACC/OER initiatives (51%, 28%, and 23% of responses, respectively).
In some cases, institutional general operating budgets, academic department budgets, IT budgets,
institutional special project funds, and endowment funds supplement library funding. Respondents who
reported zero library funding for ACC/OER initiatives indicated that funds came from provincial or state
government or legislature funds, the bookstore, external grants and gifts, grants from student groups, an
IT department, academic departments, student fees, or consortium funding.
Funds predominantly cover faculty incentives or grant funds (29 responses, or 74%). Library and
technical support staff are also frequently covered. Some respondents indicated that funds were used for
Previous Page Next Page