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University policy regarding textbook selection

  1. Policy statement. In order to provide more affordable options for students, and pursuant to Section 3345.025 of the Revised Code, faculty shall consider best practices in affordability in choosing course materials. These best practices include, but are not limited to, standardizing materials over multiple sections of the same course, the use of e-texts, the adoption of an inclusive access model, and the use of open educational resources. Pursuant to Section 133 (20 U.S.C. 1015b) of the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act faculty must, to the maximum extent practicable provide timely adoption of course materials. Faculty have academic freedom to choose textbooks and supplemental materials for their courses.
  2. Scope. This policy applies to all faculty (i.e. part-time, non-tenure track, tenure-track, etc.) and for all courses (i.e. non-credit, credit, etc.) offered by the university. The term “textbooks” and “supplemental materials” shall include paper, electronic, and other similar coursework materials, including those published or distributed electronically through the learning management system.
  3. Implementation.
    1. In accordance with the Ohio governor’s taskforce on affordability and efficiency, the provost and vice president of student affairs (or designees) have been designated as the only responsible parties for communicating to faculty the appropriate textbook and course material adoption dates for each academic term, and negotiating textbook and course material prices with the university-designated textbook provider and/or publishers.
    2. Dissemination of information about textbooks and supplemental materials. The provost and vice president of student affairs shall provide for the timely, accurate, and complete dissemination of information about required textbooks and supplemental materials for courses so as to ensure that sufficient quantities of textbooks and supplemental materials are available to meet the needs of students and to assist students in being responsible consumers.
      1. Faculty shall place orders for purchased textbooks and supplemental materials with the university-designated textbook provider by dates determined and posted by the university. In the alternative, faculty shall also communicate to the university-designated textbook provider if no purchased textbooks or supplemental materials are required for a course. The provost shall communicate to the deans, department chairs, program directors, and regional campus coordinators the date by which their textbook information is to be provided to the textbook provider.
      2. Faculty shall provide the following information to the designated-textbook provider:
        1. the international standard book number (ISBN) of required and recommended textbooks and supplemental materials for each course; and
        2. the expected number of students enrolled in each course, and the maximum student enrollment for the course.
      3. The required textbooks, supplemental materials, and retail price information shall be made accessible via the course registration system by the university, and the university-designated textbook provider website, to all students by the first day that they can register for courses.
      4. If the university-designated textbook provider determines that the disclosure of the information required by this policy is not practicable for a college textbook or supplemental material, then a designation ‘to be determined’ in lieu of the information required will be placed in the course registration system, and the university-designated textbook provider website.
      5. If all orders required under this section are not received by the published dates, then when possible, such orders will roll over from the previous semester if the faculty and course are the same.
    3. Desk copies. Unless the academic department has made other arrangements, it is the responsibility of each individual faculty to secure a desk copy of textbooks and supplemental materials.
Policy Effective Date:
Jun 01, 2022
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