Concordia University Chicago has been awarded a grant of $62,790.48 from the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) through Illinois SCOERs: Support for the Creation of Open Educational Resources. CUC will use the grant to prepare College of Business students for the post-pandemic world by updating required content in two core courses with open access materials, which will be available for the Fall 2024 semester. The award is funded by the Open Textbooks Pilot Grant received from the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE) and the U.S. Department of Education.

“The CUC Library and the College of Business faculty are excited to have this opportunity to collaborate and build a new experience for our students at CUC,” says Liesl Cottrell, director of the library at Concordia-Chicago. “I am grateful for CARLI to guide us through this exciting process.”

Adopting open access textbooks and creating open access ancillary materials for two required core business courses will help reduce textbook cost and accessibility barriers for all undergraduate business students. Dr. Elisabeth Dellegrazie, assistant professor of marketing, states, “Through the elimination of expensive textbooks in two core business courses, CUC is demonstrating their commitment to the University mission by ensuring that students have the resources needed to develop in their academic and professional vocations.”

Removing the textbook cost and integrating the e-book and course materials into the University’s learning management system (LMS) provides a seamless course experience for the student. The College of Business has transcended the classroom by bringing experiential learning into the curriculum through local community business projects. Adopting Open Education Resources (OER) is the next step in CUC’s commitment to ensure the development and success for future business professionals in an uncharted, post-pandemic business world.

“I am delighted to know we are the first College of Business in Illinois to receive a CARLI grant. Research supports that the use of OERs increases student learning in courses by breaking down barriers of affordability and accessibility,” says Dr. Karen Calendo, assistant professor of business management. “I look forward to seeing the positive impact this grant will have on our business students.”