Overarching Recommendation
The UT System should invest in OER through a commitment to a 3-year OER Momentum Strategy.
- The 3-year OER Momentum Strategy includes ten (10) distinct recommendations, enumerated below.
Recommendation 1: Financial Investment
The UT System and institutions should make a financial investment in OER through:
- Institutional allocations of funding to OER capacity-building with a focus on faculty and libraries—building on work already underway; and/or
- Funding from the UT System Board of Regents for OER at institutions to include in-kind contributions from institutions; and/or
- Pursuit of Texas GEER funding being made available to the THECB in support of OER and other new-generation, online learning resources, as well as other governmental and philanthropic funding opportunities.
Recommendation 2: Affordability Mindset
The UT System and institutions should adopt an Affordability Mindset across the UT System.
Recommendation 3: Return on Investment
The UT System and institutions should assess OER impact on return on investment (ROI) to students and institutions, learning outcomes, student success outcomes, and student and faculty satisfaction based on common assessment standards.
Recommendation 4: Homework Sets and Test Bank Questions
The UT System and institutions should adopt a coordinated approach to increasing the use and development of OER homework sets and test bank questions, platforms and infrastructure across the UT System.
Recommendation 5: Inclusive Access & Commercial Publishing
The UT System and institutions should adopt a coordinated Systemwide approach to educating students, faculty, staff and administrators about proprietary course materials published and sold by commercial publishers and vendors. Proprietary course materials may include, but are not limited to, automated purchasing programs (“Inclusive Access”), access codes for homework platforms, online bundled course materials or curriculum packages, automated grading software, and new print textbooks.
Recommendation 6: Recognition of OER Engagement in Tenure & Promotion
The UT System and institutions should recognize faculty OER engagement in tenure and promotion policy and/or guidelines.
Recommendation 7: OER for Texas Core Curriculum
UT institutions should commit to integrating OER into courses in the Texas Core Curriculum, supported by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s OER grant program and OER Commons microsite, and inspired by Z-Degrees (zero-textbook-cost associate degrees) at the community colleges.
Recommendation 8: Legislative Compliance
The UT System and institutions should adopt best practices for complying with state and federal legislation regarding OER and course material disclosure.
Recommendation 9: Legislative Strategy
The UT System and institutions should develop an ongoing OER legislative strategy, including one that might involve collaboration with other Texas university systems and educational partners.
Recommendation 10: A Chancellor-Appointed Follow-Up Group
The UT System Chancellor, in consultation with institutional leadership, should appoint a follow-up UT System group or council to support, enhance and oversee the 3-year UT System OER Momentum Strategy.
