Morehead State offers more affordable course materials through Open Educational Resources grant

Morehead State University continues to prioritize an affordable college experience through a grant that helps make course materials more accessible.  

The Morehead State Faculty Center for Teaching & Learning, in collaboration with the Office of the Provost and the Camden-Carroll Library, is offering a grant program that allows faculty to adopt Open Educational Resources (OER) for high-cost course materials. The grant gives select faculty stipends and professional development to create open-use, no-cost instructional materials.  

The award recipients for the 2026-27 OER Grant are:  

• Dr. Siriporn Peters, Assistant Professor of Art (Graphic Design)  
• Dr. Emmalou Schmittzehe, Assistant Professor of Chemistry  
• Dr. Mary Beth Cummins (Class of 2006, 2012), Professor of Finance  

Stacy Scott, acquisitions librarian at the Camden-Carroll Library, said that even as the average cost of course materials is declining, they can still prove too expensive for some students.  

“Some courses still require expensive textbooks, access codes, or specialized materials, and even a few hundred dollars in unexpected educational expenses can be significant for students,” Scott said. “While students have more affordable options than in the past, librarians, faculty, universities, and government agencies continue working to ensure the cost of course materials do not become a barrier to student success.”  

While some MSU faculty have independently adopted and developed OER for their courses, Scott worked with the director of the Faculty Center for Teaching & Learning (FCTL), Dr. Alison Hruby, to acquire the OER grant. Following their participation with several colleagues in the AAC&U OER Institute in 2023, Hruby began developing a plan to use FCTL funding to sponsor faculty interested in adopting or creating OER to benefit students.  

“The primary benefit is student access. If students cannot afford a textbook, they may delay purchasing it, attempt to complete the course without it, or make financial sacrifices elsewhere. OER can remove that barrier by making required learning materials available at no cost,” Scott said. “It also makes sense for MSU because of the population we serve. Every dollar students do not have to spend on course materials is money that can instead go toward housing, transportation, food, childcare, or other educational and living expenses.”  

Additional benefits of OER include greater faculty control over their course materials, allowing instructors to select, adapt, reorganize, and create materials aligned with their specific course learning outcomes.  

We have also encouraged faculty who have converted courses to OER to share their work and methodology with colleagues. That helps build awareness and gives other faculty practical examples of how OER can work in their own courses.  

Scott said that having OER replace commercial textbooks for students translates into both affordability and access.  

“Every student can have the required material from the beginning of the semester. Students do not have to wait for financial aid, delay purchasing a textbook, or attempt to complete coursework without the required materials,” she said.  

With a goal of expanding the use of OER and other affordable course materials across MSU, the University also wants to make affordable courses easier for students to identify. In the meantime, Scott emphasizes that Morehead State’s increased adoption of OER is a small step toward solidifying student success.  

“The overall benefit of OER is affordability, access, and flexibility. Students have the materials they need from the first day of class without the financial burden of purchasing a traditional textbook, while faculty can adapt materials to better fit their courses and students,” she said. “Ultimately, OER is about more than saving money. It helps ensure every student has access to the resources they need.”  

To learn more about MSU’s Faculty Center for Teaching and & Learning, email fctl@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2603.  

Find out more about how Morehead State makes college education affordable at http://www.moreheadstate.edu/finaid.