Through efforts made by faculty and staff of the University of Nebraska, the establishment’s students have managed to save over $13 million in textbook costs in recent years. These efforts have largely made access to more affordable digital course materials more widely available.
All four campuses have launched programs to reduce textbook costs for students, a policy known as “Open Nebraska.” President Ted Carter, NU System President, says “The cost of textbooks is real money for students and families. Our faculty and staff have been incredibly innovative in finding ways to help students access those same course materials at much lower costs.” Carter pointed out a daunting statistic: According to the College Board, students usually pay about $1,200 a year on textbooks.
Carter’s goal for Open Nebraska was for students to save $10 million by the 2023-2024 school year. Needless to say, the $13 million mark by the end of the 2022 calendar year means that that number should be far exceeded. Additionally, as resources such as videos, websites, and online lectures continue to grow in use, the university expects savings to grow.