The Open Textbook Faculty Incentive Program creates incentives for teaching faculty (including non-tenure track faculty) to use alternative lower-cost educational materials instead of high-cost textbooks. This may include the adoption, adaptation of existing OER and creation of new OER materials.

Incentive Tiers

Tier 1: Individual Instructor Implementation (Cengage Unlimited)

Individual faculty member incorporates Cengage Unlimited e-textbook(s) and/or digital courseware into a single course that leads to the elimination of a physical textbook(s) and/or single-use digital courseware expenses, if applicable and/or that reduces physical inventory.

Stipend: $500 payment upon review of final report

Deliverable: E-book/digital courseware adoption must be in place within two semesters and remain in place for a minimum of 9 semesters (or 3 years), with the exception that faculty may elect to utilize updated versions of e-books or digital courseware packages from Cengage Unlimited, should they become available during that time period. Incentive participants will submit a final report following the first semester of implementation summarizing the implementation process, including benefits and challenges associated with adopting the e-book(s) and/or digital courseware, and they will indicate the reduction in physical space and/or costs.

Tier 2:  All Course Section Implementation (Cengage Unlimited)

Multiple faculty members incorporate Cengage Unlimited e-textbook(s) and/or digital courseware into all sections of a course leading to the elimination of the physical textbook(s) and/or single-use digital courseware costs, if applicable.

Stipend: $1,000 per faculty member (up to 3 faculty per course) collaborating to implement Cengage Unlimited texts and/or digital courseware. Payment upon review of final report.

Deliverable: E-book/digital courseware adoption must be in place within two semesters and remain in place for a minimum of 9 semesters (or 3 years), with the exception that faculty may elect to utilize updated versions of e-books or digital courseware packages from Cengage Unlimited, should they become available during that time period. Incentive participants will submit a final report following the first semester of implementation summarizing the implementation process, including benefits and challenges associated with adopting the e-book(s) and/or courseware, and they will indicate the reduction in physical space and/or costs.

Tier 3a: Full Course Implementation- Individual Faculty

Individual faculty member incorporates an existing open textbook(s) into a course they are teaching and eliminates use of one or more physical texts or other paid course material. Adoption of OER materials must be in place within two semesters and remain in place for a minimum of 9 semesters (3 years).

Stipend: $500

Deliverable: Implement OER and teach the course. Submit a report detailing the process and results, including student testimonials.   Final payment is made upon completion of the course and submission and review of the final report by the OER Committee.

Tier 3b: Full Course Implementation- All Sections

Multi-section course team of at least two instructors adopts an existing open textbook(s) for use in allsections of a multi-section course and eliminate use of one or more physical texts or other paid course material. Adoption of OER materials must be in place within two semesters and remain in place for a minimum of 9 semesters (3 years).

Stipend: $1,000 per individual up to three individuals.

Deliverable: Lead implementation of existing OER across all sections of a course. Submit a report detailing the process and results, including student testimonials. Final payment is awarded upon demonstration of the use of OER in the identified term, elimination of text or digital materials in departmental textbooks ordering, and submission and review of the final report by the OER Committee.

Tier 4a: Full Course Modification - Individual Faculty

Individual faculty member adopts an existing open textbook(s) into a course they are teaching and eliminates use of all physical texts and other paid digital course material. Adoption of OER materials must be in place within two semesters and remain in place for a minimum of 9 semesters (3 years).

Stipend: $1,000

Deliverable: Implement OER and teach the course. Submit a report detailing the process and results, including student testimonials. Final payment is awarded upon demonstration of the use of OER in the identified term, elimination of text and digital materials in departmental textbook ordering, and submission and review of the final report by the OER Committee. 

Tier 4b: Full Course Modification - All Sections

Multi-section course team of at least two instructors adopts an existing open textbook(s) for use inall sections of the course and eliminates use of all physical texts and other paid digital course material. Adoption of OER materials must be in place within two semesters and remain in place for a minimum of 9 semesters (3 years).

Stipend: $2,000 per individual  up to three individuals.

Deliverable: Lead implementation of existing OER across all sections of a course. Submit a report detailing the process and results, including student testimonials. Final payment is awarded upon demonstration of the use of OER in the identified term, elimination of text and digital materials in departmental textbook ordering, and submission and review of the final report by the OER Committee.  

Tier 5a: Creation of Original OER- Individual Faculty

Individual faculty member creates original open licensed textbook or substantially adapts and expands an existing OER text, implements it into a class they teach eliminating the use of physical text or other paid course material, and publishes the OER under Creative Commons BY or above level 4 IP license. Adoption of OER materials must be in place within two semesters and remain in place for a minimum of 9 semesters (3 years).

Stipend: To be determined based on scope of project.

Deliverable: Deliverable: Publish textbook as described above and teach the course. *Submit final report linking the published work and describing the process, including student testimonials. In the case of an adaptation/further development of existing text, include links to the original works and indicate what modifications and additions were made. Final payment is awarded upon demonstration of the use of OER in the identified term, elimination of text and digital materials in departmental textbook ordering, and submission and review of the final report by the OER Committee.  

Tier 5b: Creation of Original OER- All sections

Multi-section course team of at least two faculty members creates original open licensed textbook or substantially adapts and expands an existing OER text, implements it for use in all sections of a course eliminating the use of physical text or other paid course material, and publishes the OER under Creative Commons BY or above level 4 IP license. Adoption of OER materials must be in place within two semesters and remain in place for a minimum of 9 semesters (3 years).

Stipend: To be determined based on scope of project

Deliverable: Publish textbook as described above and teach the course. Submit final report linking the published work and describing the process, including student testimonials. In the case of an adaptation/further development of existing text, include links to the original works and indicate what modifications and additions were made. Final payment is awarded upon demonstration of the use of OER in the identified term, elimination of text or digital materials in departmental textbook ordering, and submission and review of the final report by the OER Committee.