1. Connecting Legislative and Institutional Strategies for Affordable Learning Solutions in California Higher Ed
Gerard L. Hanley, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice Chancellor, Cal State Univ Office of the Chancellor
Executive Director, MERLOT
February 7-8, 2018
Florida OER Summit

2. The California Story About California higher education
Review of the legislation
The strategy underlying legislative and institutional actions
Implementation of institutional programs

3. CA Public Higher Ed Landscape
114 California Community Colleges
23 California State Universities
10 University of California campuses
Serving 3,300,000 students
Employing 102,800 faculty
114 Community Colleges 2,400,000 stu, 57,111 academic staff
23 Comprehensive universities within the CA State University 480,000 , 24,405
1o R-1 universities within the University of California 252,000 , 21,200
CSU
Altogether, about half of the bachelor's degrees, one-third of the master's degrees, and nearly two percent of the doctoral degrees awarded annually in California are from the CSU.[9]
CSU offers more than 1,800 degree programs in some 240 subject areas

4. Cal State University System
“Access to Excellence” Mission offers more than 1,800 degree programs in some 240 subject areas.
Among the most diverse university systems in the country, striving to be inclusive of students of all social, economic and educational backgrounds.
State government provides funding for about 60% of the cost of CSU’s operations. 40% covered by tuition fees.
80% of CSU students receive some financial aid.
Implementing Graduation Initiative
to increase graduation rates and
eliminate equity gaps.
The governance structure of the California State University is largely determined by state law. The California State University is ultimately administered by the 25 member (24 voting, one non-voting) Board of Trustees of the California State University. The Trustees appoint the Chancellor of the California State University, who is the chief executive officer of the system, and the Presidents of each campus, who are the chief executive officers of their respective campuses.
16 members that are appointed by the Governor of California with the consent of the Senate

5. Textbook Affordability Affects Access to an Excellent CA Education and Graduation in a Timely Manner
2016 Florida students’ responses to costs (survey)
Take fewer courses (47.6%)
Drop a course (26.1%)
Fail a course (19.8%)

6. How Much Of A Difference Can We Make?
Imagine saving every student in California’s higher education…
$170 per semester – cost of 1 new textbook
With 3 million students in CA higher ed
We can save students…
$1 BILLION EVERY YEAR

7. CSU’s Affordable Learning Solutions
How to deliver the $1B in “financial aid” to students?
CSU’s Affordable Learning Solutions

8. Legislative History to Build Capabilities
1996: The CSU Integrated Technology Strategy was an earmarked CA government funded initiative that produced MERLOT (1997). MERLOT has been the foundation for capacity building by providing a free and open library of online learning resources for 20 years. 2004: CSU launches Digital Marketplace as part of the CSU Integrated Technology Strategy which brings publishers into the planning and implementing textbook affordability.
that are increasingly supporting the adoption and expansion of zero and low cost course materials for California higher education students.

9. 20+ Years Of AL$
2007: U.S. Dept. of Ed Report on Textbook Affordability: Turn the Page recognized CSU’s Digital Marketplace & MERLOT as models for reducing costs of textbooks. 2008: Higher Education Opportunity Act (Federal Law) requires campuses to enable students to learn the price and course materials required for courses at time of pre-registration. 2010: CSU launches Affordable Learning Solutions with CSU Board of Trustees (governor appointed) as catalyst for CA legislation.
that are increasingly supporting the adoption and expansion of zero and low cost course materials for California higher education students.

10. 20+ Years Of AL$
2011: U.S. Dept. of Labor launches the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College & Career Training (TAACCCT) Grant program requiring Creative Commons licensing (OER). 2012: CA Senate Bills 1052 and 1053: Building capacity to provide no/low cost course materials with $5M allocation***. 2014: CA SB 1052 and1053 legislative requirements for funding met with CSU acquiring $1M matching funds in grants and the Intersegmental Committee of the Academic Senates establish the California OER Council.
that are increasingly supporting the adoption and expansion of zero and low cost course materials for California higher education students.

11. 20+ Years Of AL$
2015: Assembly Bill 798 provides $3M for the CSU and CCC to support faculty adoption of free and open educational resources that reduces cost at least 30%. CSU designated as program administrator. 2016: Senate Bill 1359 requires all class schedules to clearly identify course sections with zero cost course materials. 2017: Through Proposition 98 state budgeting mechanism, the California Community Colleges receives $5M for Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) degree program.
that are increasingly supporting the adoption and expansion of zero and low cost course materials for California higher education students.

12. Enabling Ecosystems with policies, leadership, business models
Developing Demand with communications, training, professional development
Creating Capabilities with convenient & affordable access to content through technologies
Leveraging Content Providers Free & open educational resources, library materials, publisher low cost digital materials, faculty authored
CSU Affordable Learning Solutions
Implementation Strategy

13. Enabling the CA Higher Ed Ecosystem with Legislation
Creating Capabilities to Lower Costs of Course Materials and Leverage Content Providers (SB 1052/3)
Developing the Demand of Faculty who want to CHOOSE Affordable Learning Solutions (AB 798)
Developing the Demand of Students who want to CHOOSE courses with no/low costs of course materials (SB 1359)

14. CA Legislator becomes OER Advocate
January 2013 – two bills enacted
SB 1052: Established the California Open Educational Resources Council (COERC)
9 faculty assigned to COERC from the CA Community Colleges, Cal State University, and University of California
Oversight by the Intersegmental Council of the Academic Senates
Select up to 50 lower division courses in the public higher ed segments to target for the alignment, development and/or acquisition of digital, open etextbooks and materials.
Create and administer a standardized, rigorous review and approval process for open source textbooks and related materials.

15. More COERC-ing
SB 1052: California Open Educational Resources Council (COERC)
Promote strategies for production, access, and use of free and open educational resources.
Regularly solicit and consider input from each segment's respective statewide student associations.
Establish a competitive request for a proposal process in which faculty members, publishers, and other interested parties may apply for funds to produce the high quality, affordable, digital open source textbooks and related materials.
Explore methods for reviving classic or well regarded, out-of-print textbooks in digital, open source formats.

16. SB 1053 established the CSU as the administrator of the California Open Source Digital Library (COSDL).
Provide easy discovery of free & open educational resources.
Showcase 50 courses with aligned open etextbooks.
Showcase quality reviews and accessibility evaluations of open etextbooks.
All materials shall bear a creative commons attribution license that allows others to use, distribute, and create derivative works based upon the digital material while still allowing the authors or creators of the materials to receive credit for their efforts.

17. Funding and Accountability
Maximum of $5M would be available from state funds to support the legislation IF matching external funds are acquired by CA higher ed.
6 months to form COERC and report to CA Legislation.
Final report by ICAS: January 2016.

18. What Happened?
Cal State University has awarded two $500K grants from Hewlett Foundation and Gates Foundation which releases $1M from state for a two-year project in 2014
Year 1: Establish governance and library infrastructure and launch v1.0 services as “proof points” for Year 2 funding.
Hired a COERC coordinator/project manager & support staff.
COERC (California Open Educational Resources Council)
Selected 52 courses.
Found 1-7 free etextbooks per course.
Researched interests for students and faculty
Developed & implemented peer review process.

19. What Happened?
CSU created - California Open Online Library for Education
Leveraged 20 years of MERLOT and its peer review process, course ePortfolio tool, teaching ePortfolio tool, and social media tools.
Managed collaborations among 9 faculty, 3 academic senates, 3 administrations, 2 granting agencies, and 1 legislature.
Developed, conducted, and openly licensed accessibility evaluation methods of etextbooks.

20. Cultivating the next CA Legislator
January 2016
AB 798: College Textbook Affordability Act
$3M (of $4M remaining) allocated for this legislation.
Campuses can request up to $50,000 with amount determined by the # of course sections that will have the cost of course materials reduced by at least 30%. ($1,000 per course section).
Required campus academic senate resolution supporting faculty adoption of free and open educational resources.
Required campus academic senate approval of campus’ textbook affordability plan for supporting faculty adoption.
1st proposal due June 30, 2016 with “bonus” funding available June 30, 2018.

21. How do you get 136 higher ed institutions and academic senates to submit an approved plan in 6 months?

22. Build Locally
Link Globally

23. CSU provided organizational and professional development

24. Strategies for Campus Plans
CSU provided tools & templates
Types of Services
Strategies for Campus Plans
Communication and Outreach
Sample memo’s about AB 798, s and flyers about webinars
Training & Professional Development
CA OER Council will provide services in 2016.
COOL4Ed will provide ongoing services including webinars, “how-to” videos, and regional workshops
Help & Support Services
Enlist support from your reference librarians and campus technology support.
Providing Print Copies
Work with your bookstore. OpenStax has print copies ready. Additional strategies in the works.
Library, Discovery, Curation
Leverage COOL4Ed library; Every campus can create their own Course ePortfolio in MERLOT
Technology Services
Put a link to COOL4Ed in your LMS. MERLOT also has LMS integrations
Campus Coordination
Leverage existing campus leadership. Join COOL Voices online community for support from colleagues

25. Faculty Professional Development Implementation Plans for AB798 Funding
Berkeley City College wants to hold an OER event involving students.
Butte College and Chico State are co-presenting their OER implementations at local teaching & learning conf.
Lake Tahoe Community College is planning on celebrating having at least one fully OER class in every area and have all transfer math, physics, biology, chemistry, and geology classes using all free textbooks.
San Bernardino Valley College will be hosting a Great Teachers OER/Online Teaching Retreat in March 2018
SJSU is really excited about our upcoming Open Access Conference on October 23!
SDSU is moving toward student outreach. We are approaching the school newspaper and Associated Students. We will be hiring a student ambassador too.
Sac State will be part of a library open house, where we will showcase OER as well as ask students about SB 1359 designation preferences.
MiraCosta is starting up an OER Task Force this year that includes a number of faculty, staff, admin, and the bookstore textbook manager. Looking forward to this group helping to guide, promote, and expand our OER, AB 798, and ZTC program development efforts.
At Fresno State... Student Govt. officers from 4 to 5 campuses came up afterward and were very interested in getting involved. Some of them didn't even know that every campus has an AL$ coordinator or program. We encouraged them to reach out/work with their AL$ coordinators.
SFSU is hiring several faculty Ambassadors and two student ambassadors.
CSU San Marcos is holding 2 joint events with Mira Costa CC & Palomar CC on OER this year. Student govt. has promised us a student representative this year.

26. AB798 Interim Progress Report, June 2017
Campuses in AB798 Program: 44
Progress Reports Received: 40
Interim Progress Updates:
Final report due June 2018
Amount Funded
Actual Total # of Students Impacted to Date
Actual Total Sections that Adopted OER to Date
Actual Total Savings to Date*
Interim Totals
(CCC & CSU)
$1,696,065
33,675
911
$4,379,060 in 1 semester

27. YES YES Is there more than MERLOT/COOL?
Is there OER for workforce development and career technical education?
YES

28. U.S. Dept. of Labor invested $2B in community colleges to create OER for workforce development.
All instructional materials created by the grant have a Creative Commons license – You have the permission to reuse!
Cal State – MERLOT has created the FREE AND OPEN LIBRARY for YOU!

29. CSU added SkillsCommons resources and Virtual Labs from MERLOT to COOL4Ed
OER used in AB 798 Courses will be added to COOL4Ed - MERLOT as well

30. Cultivating the next CA Legislator
January 2018
SB 1359: Public Postsecondary Education: Course Materials
Requires campuses to designate in the course schedule which course sections have course materials that are exclusively digital and free of charge to the students (at time of registration).
May have low-cost print options
Course materials have to comply with federal laws for accessibility and copyright.
Aligned with the Textbook Affordability Provision in the federal Higher Education Opportunity Act.
NO FUNDING ALLOCATED.

31. Enabling the Ecosystem
Building the Supply Side
SB 1052/53 – COOL4Ed Library
AB Institutional Incentives
Building the Demand Side
AB Faculty Adoption
SB 1359 – Student Marketing

32. Identifying Course Sections with Zero Cost Course Materials
Example: CSU Channel Islands Online Course Schedule
“Clearly highlight, by means that may include a symbol or logo in a conspicuous place on the online campus course schedule, the courses that exclusively use digital course materials that are free of charge to students and may have a low-cost option for print versions,” among other requirements.

33. Organizational Changes
Librarians and bookstores are reimagining their responsibilities to support the discovery and adoption of free and open educational resources.
Presidents and provosts become advocates of the Affordable Learning Solutions Initiative and faculty recognition programs.
Faculty become champions of the AL$ program, with a critical mass of faculty participating. 
Students become beneficiaries. In academic year, CSU posted over $36M student savings from the AL$ program.
In conclusion, we are guided by the principles of choice, affordability, and accessibility. And in particular, we focus on access to an excellent education for ALL our approximately three million higher ed students within California.

34. Sustainable and Scalable Resources available To YOU
Sustainable and Scalable Resources available To YOU! Customize Your OWN AL$ Program!

36. Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching
MERLOT since 1997
Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching
A free & open community for all who use, share, advise & evaluate online teaching & learning materials with over 150,000 members.
A free digital library of online teaching and learning materials that is open for all to use… with over 80,000 materials across disciplines contributed by members.
A consortium of higher education institutions, professional societies, digital libraries, corporations, and other organizations supporting educational improvement through technology

37. CSU’s Initiative Since 2010
Easy access to no/low cost content
Tools, partners, policies, marketing & strategies

38. affordablelearningsolutions.org

40. 2014-2015: Contribute and Discovery
: Contribute and Discovery

41. Shall We Make Education MORE Successful and Affordable?

42. And Move the World With MORE Innovations Together!
Mass = Educational Innovations
Mass = Educators and institutions, CSU-MERLOT, and more

43. THANK YOU
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This workforce solution was created through a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration and the California State University-Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (MERLOT).