In April 2016, the LAVC Academic Senate passed a resolution to reduce the cost of textbooks and supplies for students, and to increase access to high-quality open educational resources (OERs). This resolution enabled LAVC to apply for and receive a $50,000 grant under Assembly Bill 798 (AB 798).
Since AB-798 funds were awarded, LAVC's OER initiative -- OER @LAVC -- has grown exponentially, offering workshops, stipends, grant opportunities, and other support for faculty OER adoption. In the intervening years, LAVC has received additional funding to encourage OER adoptions, including Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) grants and ongoing support from the ASCCC OERI Initiative.
If you haven’t already, please consider adopting open educational resources as an alternative to costly, traditional textbooks. Explore this guide to learn more about OER and discover resources. If you have additional questions, want to get involved, or need support, contact Meghan Cason.
See LAVC's growing list of ZTC course sections since 2016.
NEWS FLASH: Since 2011, College of the Canyons has seen a nearly 98 percent increase in the number of students graduating. Chancellor Diane Van Hook cites increased textbook affordability through OER adoption as a major contributing factor. Read the story here.
LAVC faculty and students discuss the benefits of Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) classes.
Funded by grants from the California Community College's Chancellor's Office (CCCCO), LAVC's ZTC Award Program seeks to establish several new ZTC degree pathways by 2027. Further, our program prioritizes strengthening our General Education ZTC pathway, which is critical to the sustainability of any ZTC degree.
We invite faculty across disciplines to apply for our ZTC Award Program. Faculty will be compensated for the professional development and curriculum development required to adopt, adapt, create, remix, and/or revise Open Educational Resources (OER) to replace their current texts.
On May 9th, 2025, the Statewide ZTC Summit will be held at College of the Canyons. Check out the ZTC TAP website for details, tentative agenda, and registration links.
Join us for the fifth annual Cal OER Conference, held virtually on August 6 – 8, 2025. This event is open to everyone, so please consider attending The theme for the 2025 conference is Beyond the Horizon: Challenges and Opportunities in Scaling Open Education.
Cal OER will focus on OER efforts and impact, broadly defined, across the state of California and especially across the state’s three public higher education systems, the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California.
Faculty may be compensated for attending ASCCC OERI Webinars and events. Please forward your registration to casonmg@lavc.edu.
Here are the latest opportunities from the ASCCC OER:
Tuesday, May 6, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Modern Texts, Zero Cost: A Conversation for English Faculty Teaching Modern American and British Literature
Looking for ways to make your modern literature classes zero-cost without sacrificing depth or diversity? Join this conversation to share ideas, challenges, and creative strategies for finding OER and free-to-students texts in upper-level American and British literature courses.
Register for Modern Texts, Zero Cost: A Conversation for English Faculty Teaching Modern American and British Literature
Wednesday, May 7, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Open Educational Resources (OER) for Education: A Conversation
Come share your desires for OER in the field of education so we can build a resource page that reflects your needs. Your voice matters!
Register for OER for Education: A Conversation
Thursday, May 8, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Adding Women and Open Educational Resources (OER) in History Classrooms: Meet Kelsie Brook Eckert, Executive Director and Co-Founder of The Remedial Herstory Project
You would scarcely know women existed if you walked into most history classrooms. The Remedial Herstory Project (RHP), a nonprofit 501c3, and their two OER for US and World History classes can change that. Join Michelle Stonis, Assistant Professor of History and Women’s Studies at Glendale Community College, in conversation with Kelsie Brook Eckert, RHP’s Executive Director and Co-Founder, on incorporating the RHP OER and the aligned lesson plans with sources into your curriculum.
Register for Adding Women and OER in History Classrooms: Meet Kelsie Brook Eckert, Executive Director and Co-Founder of The Remedial Herstory Project
Thursday, May 8, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Exploring Open Educational Resources (OER) in Accounting: Best Practices and Needs
Join us to learn about the different OER options for accounting. We will discuss key needs, such as developing homework assignments tailored for use with OER. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to exchange best practices for integrating OER into accounting courses. Our goal is to enhance resource-sharing and improve access to accounting education.
Register for Exploring OER in Accounting: Best Practices and Needs
Wednesday, May 14, 9:30 am – 10:30 am
Increasing Diversity through Supplemental Materials in Introduction to Philosophy
The readings in an Introduction to Philosophy class are frequently from a white, male, and Western perspective. While the traditional readings and topics hold value, focusing on them means a lack of diverse authors, philosophers, and viewpoints. This conversation will explore ways to increase diversity through freely available supplemental materials, such as videos, podcasts, and blogs.
Register for Increasing Diversity through Supplemental Materials in Introduction to Philosophy
Our colleagues at East Los Angeles College have collaborated with the OERI and LibreTexts to offer hands-on professional development in open homework systems. This training opportunity is designed for those interested in remixing OER in the LibreTexts platform and creating openly-licensed assessments.
Attendees will be introduced to - and actively interact with - LibreTexts, the LibreTexts Remixer, and the ADAPT Open Homework System.
Registration is now open. A light breakfast will be served, and lunch will be provided. To defray costs, a registration fee of $25 will be charged. Space is limited.
Register for Saturday, May 17, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm OERI Regional at East Los Angeles College