The community and technical college system is looking for ways to save students money, and it’s paying off, The Daily Advertiser reports.
Since switching to open educational resources in more classes last year, students across the Louisiana Community and Technical College System saved $2.7 million.
That’s millions of dollars students would have paid for textbooks and materials in fall 2017 and spring 2018, system President Monty Sullivan says.
When it comes to the cost of college and attendance, which encompasses more than just tuition, “we’re very much mindful of our price point,” Sullivan says.
“Our colleges are the open access institutions for Louisiana,” he says. “If our price point prohibits students from enrolling then we are not meeting that mission.”
And institutions depend largely on the state legislature when it comes to funding. This was an outside cost where the system had more flexibility and autonomy to make a change. For students who sometimes drop classes because they can’t afford the books, the savings can mean more graduates.
