Faculty at California State University, Bakersfield are working to lower the cost of course materials to zero.
CSUB began participating in the California State University Affordable Learning $olutions (AL$) initiative in 2013. Its goal is to provide students with easy access to quality, low- or no-cost textbooks. The initiative has saved CSUB students a grand total of $1,521,197.
The AL$ initiative is led by associate librarian Sandra Bozarth in the Walter W. Stiern Library.
This spring, the Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Department received a $10,000 award made available through AL$ for having the most courses with no- or low-cost textbook adoptions for the 2019-2020 academic year.
By offering only zero cost course materials for every course within their department, they have saved CSUB students a total of $221,410 in one academic year. The department savings over a two-year period is $279,410.
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