KUDOS TO VP DIANE RYAN FOR HER TREMENDOUS SUCCESS WITH DEVELOPING THE USE OF OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES COURSE MATERIALS, WHICH ARE NOW SAVING STUDENTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN BOOK COSTS

Put in charge of OER development in 2019, Ryan’s accomplishment stands out as new four-year Bachelor of Science program announced it will use all free open source textbooks in all four years

In November 2019, Yavapai Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine tasked Dr. Diane Ryan with leading the initiative to lower the cost of student textbooks. At an Osher Brown Bag Buzz program on the Verde Campus, Dr. Ryan announced the plan to utilize open educational resources (OER) for course materials in an effort to reduce costs. The program, if successful, could save students up to $1,600 annually on textbook expenses.

Dr. Diane Ryan

The initiative was a part of President Dr. Lisa Rhine’s effort to make post-secondary education available to everyone in the County at the lowest possible cost. It was estimated in 2019 that the OER program would take from three to four years before it was fully implemented.

After taking charge, Dr. Ryan quickly moved forward with developing the OER plan. At the February 2020 meeting of the Community College Governing Board, she informed the Board that faculty had already begun training in the use of OER and expected some classes to use these materials in fall 2020.

Dr. Ryan’s cost reduction plan made a noticeable impact on the cost of student textbooks in just one year. On September 14, 2021, College President Dr. Lisa Rhine reported to the District Governing Board that the project has already saved students over $300,000.

As Dr. Ryan progressed with training faculty and implementing the cost reduction plan, the project received additional funding. In August 2022, the College announced that it was awarded a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education Fund. The funds were to be used in partnership with seven other community colleges to further develop OER materials.

Dr. Ryan’s success with developing OER was demonstrated on January 11, 2023, when she announced that the Community College had created and approved a four-year online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) program. The B.S. program was also developed under Dr. Ryan’s guidance.

The Bachelor of Science program offers many benefits, one of which is the cost of textbooks for the entire four-year program. Dr. Ryan announced that all books for all four years will be free. This is made possible by the use of Open Resources materials that have been integrated into the curriculum, thanks to her efforts.

Kudos to Dr. Ryan for her outstanding work on OER!