A common concern on college campuses is the rising cost of textbooks. The high cost of course materials has a dramatic negative impact on college affordability, academic performance and graduation. Recent surveys show that 66 percent of undergraduate students have not purchased a required textbook because of the cost. Others indicate that the high cost of textbooks has led them to take fewer courses, withdraw from courses or earn poor grades because they could not afford to buy the textbook.
The staff at Mabee Library believes cost should never be the barrier that prevents students from performing well in their courses or graduating on time. Open educational resources are educational materials (like textbooks) that anyone can use, modify and share at no cost. Open educational resources have tremendous benefits for students. By reducing the cost of textbooks and alleviating a significant financial burden, open educational resources help students take more courses, stay on track to graduate on time and perform better academically. These resources also give faculty the ability to customize materials to fit the specific needs of their courses.
Open educational resources are about equal access to higher education - a historic part of Washburn’s mission and the mission at Mabee Library. Consider a gift to this fund to support Open Educational initiatives for Washburn students. Your gifts will be genuinely transformative.