Aiken Technical College (ATC) is partnering with Textbook Brokers, its bookstore operations partner, to launch a new program which will assist students in saving money on textbooks.
The Ready for Success program will start in the upcoming Fall semester beginning Aug. 21. Under the program, enrolled students will pay a flat fee of $24 per credit hour to cover the cost of course materials.
“For instance, a student enrolled in a three-credit hour course would have just a $72 fee to cover course materials for the class,” according to a press release from the college.
Currently, textbooks can range in price from $75 to over $300, said Aiken Tech Controller Betsy Cline.
“Ready for Success ensures the affordability, availability and accessibility of course materials for all students. Students will receive all required course materials, whether digital or physical format, and be ready for success from day one of class,” said Cline. “We want our students to have every opportunity to succeed and meet their academic goals.”
As a result of Katie Miller, the college’s Library Director, working closely with faculty, Ready for Success was part of recent efforts to identify opportunities which would lead to open educational resources in their college courses.
According to Miller, open education resources include textbooks and other materials intentionally created and licensed to be free for students to use.
Students may also choose not to participate in the program by opting out of by the end of the semester’s add-drop period their enrolled term.
The Ready for Success program is the latest in Aiken Tech’s efforts to minimize financial barriers, while ensuring students have the resources they need to succeed in their courses.
Beginning in the fall, the college will have about 20 courses that have implemented open education resources.
“Open Educational Resources give students access to their course materials from the first day of class, and they are able to own and access those materials forever,” said Miller. “This is particularly helpful in the digital age as many publishers only allow limited-time access.”
According to a press release from Aiken Tech, the addition of the new Ready for Success program to the growing OER efforts will help with overall student success, said Dean of Student Success and Retention Crystal Ratliff, Ed.D.
“We pride ourselves at ATC for knowing our students and their needs,” said Ratliff. “This includes understanding the possible barriers that our students may face. For some students, the high cost of textbooks can impede their ability to successfully complete their program of study. It is our hope that the implementation of the Ready for Success program is one more step that we can take to help minimize student costs and positively impact success rates.”
For more information, visit: www.atc.edu
