SUUSA Senate briefly met to make announcements and with Christopher Clark to discuss the new Opensource Education Resources (OER).
Clark is the new Engagement Librarian taking over for Phil Roche. Clark met to discuss OER, a new initiative that would greatly lower or negate the cost for textbooks by using open sources from scholars that professors could use and change to meet the needs of their classes.
The OER would pose no extra cost to students, other than “printing pages” if students wanted a more tactile textbook, according to Clark.
The OER and the library would like to partner with SUUSA to gauge the response from professors and raise support from students.
According to College of Science and Engineering Senator Kevin Martin, some professors have been resistant to the idea because they fear the resources are not quality. Clark asked if any Senators have professors in their colleges that are resistant to the OER, to contact the library to ease any concerns.
Following, Senate President Hayden Carroll asked the Senate members to fill out the email he sent earlier in the morning. The Executive Council must decide which Representatives from which organizations should stay on the Senate for the following school year.
The Senate then adjourned.
The SUUSA Facebook page has the entire meeting on video here.
The Senate will reconvene next week at 11:30 a.m. in the Sterling R. Church Auditorium in the Sharwan Smith Student Center.
Story by
Andrew Leavitt
life@suunews.com
Photo by
Mitchell Quartz
photochief@suunews.com
