The RSC Libraries are sponsoring the Open Educational Resources (OER) grant program for the 2024-25 academic year, in conjunction with the Center for Teaching and Learning and Faculty Development Committee. 

Grant description:

The OER grant program is intended to reduce the financial burden of textbooks and course materials for students by promoting faculty members’ adoption of free and openly accessible resources, or OER. The adoption of freely accessible, open educational resources lowers the cost of education and ensures that all students have equal access to content on the first day of class.

Funding: 

Two types of grants will be awarded at the levels outlined below:

• Level 1, $500 award: Locate, evaluate, and adopt an existing Open Educational Resource for your course(s). 

• Level 2, $750 award:  Create an Open Educational Resource or adapt, update, or combine existing OER into a new resource.  Proposals that include plans to develop OER resources would qualify. Developing OER resources includes things like combining or supplementing existing OER resources.

Timeline for 2024-25 OER Grant: 

• Applications should be submitted using this form by Monday, March 18, 2024 by 11:59pm.

• Grant applications will be reviewed by the Faculty Development Committee using the criteria listed in this rubric. Grant awards will then be approved by the Provost.

• Grantees will be notified by email no later than April 15, 2024.

• Stipends will be distributed in two phases: Half of the award the onset of Summer 2024 and half at the end of the semester (Fall 2024 or Spring 2025) where the open resource was used.

Expectations for OER grant recipients: 

• Grant funds will compensate the grantee for the time and effort required to replace commercial textbooks or other course materials with low-cost or no-cost resources. Funds may be used to create a new open educational resource, or to adopt existing OER “as is” or with modifications. Grant funds cannot be used to purchase commercial textbooks, ancillaries, or other resources. 

• Adoption of OER should be completed in time for the course to be taught in the 2024-25 academic year.

• Grantees will be asked to complete a brief assessment of the grant program, and to share their experience using OER with RSC faculty members through CTL events, May College, or other opportunities.

2023 OER grant recipients: 

Karen Balter 

Marisa Beeble 

Ken Howard 

Susan Jenks 

2022 OER Grant Awards:

Debra Collette

Kelli Tamvada

Jill Ensminger

Marisa Beeble

Deb Lawrence

Nathanael Green

Victoria Greenwood

Gabrielle Rounds

Julie McIntyre

Maureen Gokey

Tracy Egan-Lasek

Jennifer Morrill

Sara Schuman

Ali Schaeffing

David Baecker

Natasha Holmes

2021 OER Grant Awards:

Bobbi Gabrenya, Interdisciplinary Studies

Kristi LaMonica, Biology and Health Sciences

Dayna Maniccia, Interdisciplinary Studies 

Tonya Moutray, Interdisciplinary Studies 

Becky Bernhardt, Occupational Therapy 

Emilly Obuya, Chemistry 

Shealeen Meaney, Interdisciplinary Studies 

Thomas Gray, Chemistry and Biochemistry