OpenStax Welcomes 16 New Colleges and Universities to Its Institutional Partner Program

Rice University's OpenStax initiative has welcomed the largest cohort of colleges and universities to its Institutional Partner Program (IPP) since its founding in 2015. Sixteen new institutions have joined the program to give their students free or low-cost access to textbooks and other educational materials.

The organization said it has over 60 titles of open educational resources in its library and will be adding 15 more in 2024.

"This year's cohort is our largest ever — it's inspiring to see so many different types of institutions coming together to nurture OER initiatives and make learning easier and more affordable for their students," said Anthony Palmiotto, director of higher education for OpenStax.

The new members of the IPP are Adrian College, Barry University, Chattahoochee Technical College-Mountain View, Clinton College, Coker University, Collin College-Plano, University of Arkansas-Cossatot Community College, Georgia State University, Meredith College, Motlow State Community College, Pace University-Pleasantville, Southwest Texas Junior College, Texas A&M University-Commerce, University of San Diego, University of South Carolina-Beaufort, and West Virginia Wesleyan College.

The OpenStax IPP has supported more than 80 colleges and universities since its inception, the organization said, and has saved students $2.9 billion. The program puts "customizable, high-quality, peer-reviewed and openly licensed materials into the hands of instructors and learners" for free online or at a low cost in print.

To learn more about how it works, visit OpenStax's About page.

About the Author

Kate Lucariello is a former newspaper editor, EAST Lab high school teacher and college English teacher.

Featured

  • computer with a red warning icon on its screen, surrounded by digital grids, glowing neural network patterns, and a holographic brain

    Report Highlights Security Risks of Open Source AI

    In these days of rampant ransomware and other cybersecurity exploits, security is paramount to both proprietary and open source AI approaches — and here the open source movement might be susceptible to some inherent drawbacks, such as use of possibly insecure code from unknown sources.

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • a professional worker in business casual attire interacting with a large screen displaying a generative AI interface in a modern office

    Study: Generative AI Could Inhibit Critical Thinking

    A new study on how knowledge workers engage in critical thinking found that workers with higher confidence in generative AI technology tend to employ less critical thinking to AI-generated outputs than workers with higher confidence in personal skills.

  • university building with classical columns and a triangular roof displayed on a computer screen, surrounded by minimalist tech elements like circuit lines and abstract digital shapes

    Pima Community College Launches New Portal for a Unified Digital Campus Experience

    Arizona's Pima Community College is elevating the digital campus experience for students, faculty, and staff with a new portal built on the Pathify digital engagement platform.