Textbook and course material affordability has been an obstacle to students’ success even before the pandemic but even more crucial to address as students have been experiencing increased financial instability. UC San Diego student groups and local community college faculty are leading initiatives to address these inequities and set the system right.

Sky-lauryn White and Aanvi Jhaveri, student representatives for the UC San Diego CALPIRG, and Cianna Calia, Chair of the UC San Diego Students for Open Access, will discuss their initiatives, a UC Open Textbook Grant Program through the UC Regents that would incentivize faculty to use open textbooks and a course-marking initiative. The PIRG students will disclose the results of their faculty survey and debut their student testimonial video. These innovative and dedicated students are partnering with faculty, the Library, and the campus bookstore to bring equity and access to all.

Michelle Pilati, Psychology Professor at Rio Hondo College and Faculty Coordinator for the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) OERI, is a former statewide academic senate president for the California Community Colleges, will discuss the interrelatedness of OE and the California public school systems, UC system Chancellor’s Offices, and CA legislators.

Dave Dillon, Distance Education Coordinator, Counseling faculty, Professor, #oer textbook author at Grossmont College (UC Santa Cruz alum) will discuss how Z-courses have positively impacted students, many of whom transfer to UC San Diego.