Report 2007-116 Recommendation 21 Responses
Report 2007-116: Affordability of College Textbooks: Textbook Prices Have Risen Significantly in the Last Four Years, but Some Strategies May Help to Control These Costs for Students (Release Date: August 2008)
Recommendation #21 To: University, California State
CSU should continue its efforts to develop, implement, and promote awareness of the Digital Marketplace. While doing this, CSU should monitor any resistance from students and faculty to ensure that the digital education content aligns with their needs and preferences.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From December 2009
a. The Digital Marketplace is designed to provide a one-stop shop for students and faculty to find, organize and acquire academic content that's more affordable, more accessible, and higher quality choices in meeting their teaching and learning needs. There are 3 basic elements of the Digital Marketplace:
i. Discovery and production of free and fee-based academic content;
ii Selection and organization of content for courses; and
iii. Choice and acquisition/purchase of content by students
b. The design strategy for the Digital Marketplace (DM) is to leverage the capacities of the publishing and technology industries, higher education, and professional organizations to deliver scalable and sustainable services in a timely manner.
i The business model of the DM will provide more cost-effective services
ii The technology model of the DM is to integrate existing web-based services to deliver reliable and cost-effective services
c. We have developed a two minute video to explain the Digital Marketplace.
d. We have developed a website that provides more information about the project.
e. We are working with CSU Dominguez Hills and Fresno on the use of open course materials and designing a campaign strategy that will be cost-effective and scalable throughout the CSU. CSU Dominguez Hills (Sept 23, 2009, Oct 9, 2009, December 2, 2009); CSU Fresno (October 18, 2009).
f. We have recently completed a successful pilot project that tested the technology, copyright clearance, and contract principles enabling CSU faculty and students to acquire individual journal articles from Elsevier at a lower cost (at least 16% less expensive) and at a faster rate (10 minutes vs. 7 days). CSU Chico, Fullerton, Channel Islands, and Stanislaus participated.
g. We will be starting a pilot project with industry leaders in securing the distribution and acquisition of digital content of publishers (e.g. Vital Source, Pearson, Wiley, etc) this spring. CSU San Bernardino will be participating.
h. We will be starting a pilot project on a new "lease model" for publishers e-textbooks that can result textbooks costing 25% of current prices. CSU San Bernardino, Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, and Long Beach are developing plans to participate this spring.
i. Staff responsible for the Digital Marketplace presented to the statewide student organization (CSSA) on Oct. 17, 2009. The CSSA gave a positive response to the "Affordable Learning Solutions" strategy, and have adopted a policy agenda that advocates the use of technology in teach and learning. We will continue to work with the CSSA to ensure alignment with student needs and preferences.
j. We have been working with faculty and academic administrators on the use of digital academic content The Affordable Learning Solutions project has been reviewed with both the campus provosts (October 22, 2009, Nov 12, 2009) and the Council of Library Directors, who work with faculty extensively on the use of digital content(September 3, 2009). The MERLOT International Conference which provided 3 days of professional development for CSU faculty in the use of digital academic technology and open educational resources was held in August 2009 in San Jose CA. (See 2009-041, pp. 51-52)
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
All Recommendations in 2007-116
Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.