SR 15-03 - Resolution on Affordable Learning Solutions (ALS) Initiative

Approve Date: April 19, 2016
Senate Resolution File:
SR 15-03 Resolution on Affordable Learning Solutions (ALS) Initiative

Purpose: To support the CSU’s Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$) in order to request funding through the College Textbook Affordability Act of 2015.

Senate Resolution
WHEREAS, the high cost of textbooks has a substantial impact on students’ ability to purchase required course materials, thereby making it harder for some CSU Channel Islands students to afford a quality education, and

WHEREAS the goal of the State of California’s College Textbook Affordability Act of 2015 is to reduce the cost of course materials for California college students by encouraging faculty to accelerate the adoption of high quality, no-cost and low-cost materials, especially Open Educational Resources (OER), and

WHEREAS faculty have the academic freedom and the responsibility to choose appropriate materials supporting instruction in their classes, and

WHEREAS, the CSU Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$) program is available to assist CSU faculty to choose and adopt high-quality, free or low-cost course content; educate faculty and students on issues related to textbook affordability; and enable the discovery of affordable, quality instructional content through OER repositories, library and bookstore resources, and

WHEREAS, an increasing number of quality, peer-reviewed digital materials are available for faculty to adopt as Affordable Learning Solutions, a subset of which are available as Open Educational Resources (OER), for use at no-cost and low cost, and

WHEREAS, in order to request funding through the College Textbook Affordability Act of 2015, a campus Academic Senate must adopt a resolution that states its support to increase student access to high-quality OER and reduce the cost of textbooks and supplies for students, and

WHEREAS, CSU Channel Islands champions Affordable Learning Solutions by providing support for faculty through the CI T&L Innovations team Affordable Learning Solutions team, led by the Teaching & Learning Innovations team in collaboration with the John Spoor Broome library, be it hereby

RESOLVED that the CI Faculty Senate encourage faculty to adopt appropriate affordable learning solutions, and be it further

RESOLVED that the CI Faculty Senate encourage the administration of the CSU and of CSU Channel Islands to explore and implement further appropriate measures to address the affordability of a quality education within the CSU.