THE MISSION
Every post-secondary student knows the feeling of paying hundreds of dollars for textbooks every semester. The cost of textbooks and other educational resources is a massive affordability barrier — accounting for around 8% of a student’s budget. We shouldn’t have to choose between groceries or textbooks.
Many professors are already using FREE, online, and accessible textbooks known as Open Educational Resources (OERs), which save students hundreds of dollars every term. With each dollar put into the creation of OERs, students save upwards of $10 each subsequent term. They can be used across all faculties, and professors can adapt existing OERs or make their own.
The UVSS’ #TextbookBroke campaign is fighting for greater adoption and creation of Open Educational Resources (OERs) on the UVic campus, as well as lobbying for more provincial funding for OERs.
The UVSS is advocating for this change within UVic’s administration and faculty, but we need greater student mobilization to create the momentum needed for this shift.
GET INVOLVED
1. Email your professor about adopting Open Educational Resources!
The #TextbookBroke Campaign has created this email template for you to use when advocating for OERs within your professors’ classrooms. Feel free to CC us at campaigns@uvss.ca, and modify it to fit your own voice.
2. Talk to your professors about adopting Open Educational Resources
There are so many high quality OERs available, and many professors are unaware of these accessible options! If you’re interested in having a conversation with a professor about OERs, we would be happy to help prepare you for that conversation, just email our Director of Campaigns at campaigns@uvss.ca!
3. Join our #TextbookBroke campaign team!
We are always looking for passionate students to join our team, to get involved fill out this volunteer registration form!
For more info on this campaign, please email our Director of Campaigns at campaigns@uvss.ca!