Weber State saves students millions with free textbooks
OGDEN, Utah — Faculty at Weber State University are expanding efforts to provide free textbooks to students, with an ultimate goal to make college more accessible and affordable.
The university’s Stewart Library first introduced an Open Educational Resources initiative in 2019 to provide free course materials to students via Canvas, an online teaching and learning software used by schools across the country.
OER materials can replace physical textbooks and help students save thousands of dollars over the course of their education. Because OERs are openly licensed and available for anyone to use, professors can also adapt or localize the material.
While Weber State has one of the most affordable tuition rates in Utah, textbooks can still be expensive, particularly in the healthcare field, said Jim Hutchins, professor who spearheaded OER efforts in the Department of Health Sciences.
Over the past three years, health sciences made free OER textbooks available for every course in the department, saving students an estimated $3 million.
“The average Utah college student pays $1,200 for textbooks each year,” Hutchins said. “By replacing a $300 anatomy and physiology textbook and a $75 medical terminology textbook with free materials, we’ve substantially reduced the cost of education for Utahns seeking careers in healthcare.”
Health sciences courses are the foundation for all majors within the Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions, which produces the most graduates at WSU and is the foremost provider of health professionals in Utah.
Affordability improves access, retention and success
Hutchins cited research that shows how expensive textbooks disproportionately affect certain enrollment demographics, such as first-generation students and those who utilize financial aid.
Wendy Holliday, dean of Stewart Library, said some students were sharing textbooks, delaying buying textbooks, or not buying them at all due to high costs.
“Even textbooks can be a barrier to college,” Holliday said. “Bottom line, this is about saving students money and improving learning. It levels the playing field in the classroom when everyone has high-quality course materials on the very first day.”
Hutchins attributes his department’s increased retention partly to OER availability. In a survey of 470 WSU students taking health sciences courses, 98% said free materials are “very” or “somewhat” important in choosing their next classes. Hutchins said the cost of textbooks can change the trajectory of a student’s education — and even their career.
“Ultimately, when we offer free materials, we’re giving students a better educational experience,” he said. “Reducing costs helps them achieve their maximum potential as they enter critical fields in the workforce.”
Free course materials have also improved student success, Hutchins said. Since offering OER materials, his department saw fewer dropouts, withdrawals and fail rates.
Taking it even further
Departments such as communication, psychology and world languages and cultures are also providing free textbooks, with many others looking to follow suit. OER materials at Weber State are financially sustained by the WSU Provost Office, federal funding and grants from the Stewart Education Foundation and Sally Langdon Barefoot Foundation.
Provost Ravi Krovi said he’d like to see more free materials available in general education courses.
“We’re always asking, where can we have the maximum impact? Everybody takes gen ed, so that’s the fastest way to pass savings to every student,” Krovi said.
Several general education professors already offer or are developing OER materials, including two high-enrollment classes, Psychology 1010 and Communication 2110. The English department also received a grant to create OER for English 2010 this year.
“Nearly every student takes English 2010, so that’s going to have a huge impact,” Holliday said.
While more OERs are developed at WSU, the Stewart Library also makes course materials available via their Textbook Library, where students can check out nearly 2,400 textbooks and other required materials. The university also offers some e-books, which thousands of students took advantage of in 2024.
“Affordability is a big part of access,” Krovi said.“Even when tuition is low, other costs can add up, so these initiatives have been great from that standpoint. They go a long way in making college more accessible.”
Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu- Contact:
Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu