University Libraries is now accepting applications for its annual OER Grant Program until Tuesday, Oct. 1. This program is designed to empower faculty in adopting, adapting, and creating Open Educational Resource (OER) materials for their courses.

Faculty who hold the rank of lecturer, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor are eligible to apply. Proposals from graduate students or graduate assistants are also eligible.

OER materials have the potential to significantly decrease student fees and alleviate the financial burden of course textbooks. However, instructors frequently encounter monetary and time constraints when embarking on OER development. This program was established to provide assistance to instructors in overcoming these challenges, thereby cultivating the use of OER materials on campus.

Two types of proposals are available to instructors:

  • Small Grant with budgets under $2,000 and
  • Large Grant with budgets between $2,000 and $10,000.

Levels of funding and project timelines should be determined by the scope of work necessary to successfully integrate the material(s) into a course.  Faculty, staff, graduate assistants, teaching assistants, and adjuncts are invited to apply. The full application guidelines and eligibility are provided on the OER Grant Program Library Guide.

Learn about the program before summer break by attending one of two informational sessions:

More information about the University’s open access publishing initiatives and events can be found on the Open Education Resources Website.

The online informational sessions are scheduled for Aug. 30, Sept 13 and Sept. 27. Participants will receive a zoom link after registering for the informational session. Interested faculty can register at goto.unm.edu/oerotp.

University Libraries encourages faculty members to take advantage of this opportunity to make a significant impact on student success while exploring new and innovative pedagogical methods.