M O N DA Y, D E C E M B E R 9 , 2 013
L&A: Just because it is Oklahoma does not mean we can’t have some winter fun. Try out Norman’s holiday outdoor ice rink.
Campus: The Daily’s Freshman Experience participants talk about getting involved on campus.
COURSE MATERIALS
STUDENT CONGRESS
SGA branch enacts changes this semester Twenty percent of the legislation put before congress were resolutions KAITLYN UNDERWOOD Campus Reporter
‘Open textbooks’ aims to reduce costs
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Recently introduced bill helps students afford books MOLLY EVANS
Assistant Campus Editor
Congress recently introduced a bill that would help higher education institutions provide students affordable, even free, online textbooks, but OU has been working toward that same goal for the past year. Sens. Dick Durbin, (D-Ill.) and Al Franken, (D-Minn.) introduced the Affordable College Textbook Act (S. 1704) in the Senate on Nov. 14. The act would create a grant program for colleges and universities to “expand the use of open textbooks in order to achieve savings for students,” according to the bill. “Open textbooks” and “open educational resources” encompass written and audiovisual works that can be used freely and easily by students and
faculty, according to the bill. OU’s One University Digital Initiative has partnered with faculty of high enrollment classes to find free and open access materials and has created training programs for faculty members to create their own digital course materials through programs such as iBooks, said Erin Yarbrough, director for OU Web Communications. “Currently there are options for online textbooks that are as simple as a PDF, so that’s going to save students money,” Yarbrough said. “They’re not going to have to carry around those heavy textbooks and be able to keep all their notes in one place.” More must be done to reduce the rising costs of textbooks, which has climbed 82 percent over the last decade, according to the bill. And the digital sharing capabilities of the Internet could be the solution, according to the bill.
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Yarbrough said the increase in smartphones, iPads and laptops over the last five years also signals the need for continuing the digital transition. “All of these new formats and new platforms are allowing us to go beyond that and give students the opportunity to view videos inside of a textbook or to play with a 3-D model of a molecule inside of a textbook,” Yarbrough said. “So it’s engaging that student, and it’s also bringing the education value of a textbook up by providing more learning opportunities.” Using open educational resources instead of traditional printed materials in large-enrollment college courses can reduce textbook costs by 80 to 100 percent, according to the bill. Yarbrough said initiative’s goal is to lower costs to students on a large scale. Kelly Damphousse, dean of the SEE BOOKS PAGE 6
OU’s Undergraduate Student Congress considered 41 bills over the fall semester, 20 percent of which encouraged administrative changes at OU. Twenty percent of the legislation put before Undergraduate AT A GLANCE Student Congress this Undergraduate semester were resolutions, including docStudent Congress: uments expressing Spring 2014 Goals thanks and urging university administration • Advocate for a true to take action on varidead week ous issues. • Set aside money for Huston Huffman Fitness One such resolution Center renovations was an act request• Increase revenue for ing downloadable scholarships student schedules • Increase voter turnout that Undergraduate in SGA elections Student Congress passed on Oct. 8. Source: Undergraduate Student Congress chair John Montgomery The act proposes including an option to export student class schedules to mobile devices in an update of oZONE. As it currently stands, students can neither easily view their schedules with their phone nor incorporate the class schedules into SEE SGA PAGE 6
Sports: Check out how The Daily’s sports staff breaks down the top moments in Oklahoma sports this year. (Page 10)
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