3356-10-23. Textbook selection

(A) Policy statement. Youngstown state university ("university") is committed to providing affordable high quality educational access for students. Affordable high quality educational access includes minimizing the cost of textbooks and instructional materials while correspondingly ensuring instructional quality and the academic freedom of faculty to select textbooks and instructional materials.

(B) Purpose. To comply with section 3345.025 of the Revised Code and the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 1965, as amended, assist students in the timely procurement of materials, and to ensure instructional quality.

(C) Parameters.

(1) Textbook and course materials selection.

(a) A faculty member may select the textbook(s) and instructional materials to be used in his/her courses unless the faculty member teaches a multi-section or sequential course; in which case, the department faculty who are involved in teaching the course(s) shall provide for textbook selection. In multiple sections of sequential courses that are also prerequisites to advanced courses in the sequence, uniform texts will be selected.

(b) Faculty members shall provide written notification regarding textbook and course material selection to the department chair no later than seven calendar days prior to the date established on the university calendar of operations as the textbook order due date.

(c) A faculty member's failure to provide textbook information pursuant to this policy shall result in a default to the textbook and course materials previously utilized by the faculty member in that course, if available; or if not available, equivalent textbook and/or course material to be used for the upcoming academic term shall be selected in consultation with the faculty member.

(2) Cost.

(a) Cost should be an important consideration when selecting textbooks and other course materials that students are required to purchase. Faculty should consider whether the cost of their adopted textbooks and other materials is suitable for their discipline and the course subject. When textbooks and other materials are markedly different in cost, but are comparable in content and quality, the university recommends that faculty select the less costly option.

(b) The university recommends that faculty select open access textbooks and materials when they are appropriate for the faculty members' discipline and course content.

(3) Faculty recognize that self-authored materials shall be used pursuant to university policy, rule 3356-7-01 of the Administrative Code, "Conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment."

Effective: 1/20/2020
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 3356
Rule Amplifies: 3356