$3.8 Million Saved By Eliminating Textbooks At Georgia Highlands College - Cartersville, GA Patch

"Georgia Highlands College has saved students millions of dollars over the past five semesters by eliminating the cost of textbooks in specific courses.

The college's faculty have been working since fall 2015 to expand Open Education Resources courses each semester. Almost half a million dollars’ worth of student savings was yielded the first semester alone. To date, GHC has saved students $3.8 million in textbook costs.

OER course conversions are aided by the University System of Georgia’s Affordable Learning Georgia initiative, which promotes student success by providing cost-free alternatives to expensive textbooks.

The new OERs don’t just provide free textbooks either. Students also get video resources, software, labs and an enhanced textbook experience with hyperlinks to many other resources

Vice President for Academic Affairs Renva Watterson stated it is imperative that students have access to these free OER textbook alternatives."