AFFORDABLE LEARNING LOUISIANA FEATURE
“
Low income and first generation college students have little to no precedence regarding what to expect their first semester.
”
Bill, Sarah hosted a faculty workshop on the your campus after her initial OTN training program and you were an attendee. What motivated you to participate in the program? Bill: As education costs continue to rise, our students are definitely feeling the financial pinch. In the past, I asked students if they required a part time job to see them through their college education. However, that is no longer the appropriate question. Most students have more than one work endeavor going on during the school year to cover all of the costs they incur to achieve a bachelor’s degree.
My impetus for participating in the workshop was simple. I was looking for a better way to fill a vital and important need. How has your attendance at that workshop impacted your work and students at Nicholls? Bill: The courses I teach in an applied field require a broad spectrum of deep knowledge that is, typically, not found in one book. I was always supplementing material from other authors that had a better, clearer, or more current way of discussing a topic. Supplying auxiliary material to bring points across in a more meaningful way has become the rule rather than the exception. After examining the OTN materials, I immediately began to see the possibilities of filling those gaps and, in fact, adding additional value to my courses by assigning reading in several books – layering course material in greater depth at no additional cost to the student. In essence, in one leadership course I now provide course material and supplement that material with two OTN books. I am covering more material more comprehensively at literally no book cost to the students. I have received many positive student comments. Yes, lower student book costs result with OTN selections, but a larger intangible impact lies in them really knowing that our university cares about them and their positioning for success. Based on these initial results, I am currently exploring revisions in other courses along similar lines.
Low income and first generation college students have little to no precedence regarding what to expect their first semester. High schools tend to supply notes and materials and often the books students need for schoolwork. Thus, the initial financial focus becomes tuition and fees with books being an afterthought. They arrive at the bookstore to gather course texts and confront the unforeseen cost of university learning materials – books are expensive and affordability is a key issue. It is quite common for students to search for cheaper books online or through What opportunities do you see for growth of rental services with books sold back or returned this and similar programs aimed at student at the end of the semester. Said differently, these textbook affordability? students spend a brief period with what is in many cases seminal works that could carry them Bill: I think that these types of programs have through their profession careers. As courses unlimited potential because, first, there is an build on one another, referencing past material unquestionable need, and additionally, because becomes difficult – seeing the progression of the of the unlimited ways open books can be utilized. subject matter becomes arduous. An additional byproduct of the book search is the student’s stress with late assignment submissions because the book has not yet arrived. LOUIS LAGNIAPPE | 10