Title 17. Education

Chapter 24. Board of Regents

Part I. General Provisions

17:3129.9       Affordable textbooks and open educational resources

A. Definitions. 

(1) “Affordable educational resource” or “AER”, means a single or collection of required educational resources that may be offered at no or low cost to a student through a postsecondary education institution or an affiliated college bookstore at a pre-sales tax cost to a student that does not exceed an amount equal to four times the federal minimum wage. AER includes copyright protected material purchased by a library and provided to a student at no cost. 

(2) “Course schedule” means a collection or listing of available classes, course sections, or both, published by a postsecondary institution in electronic or printed form prior to the start of an academic term. 

(3) “Open educational resource” or “OER” means a teaching, learning, or research resource that is in the public domain or has been released under an intellectual property license that permits the free use, adaptation, and redistribution of the resource by any person. The term may include full course curricula, course materials, modules, textbooks, media, assessments, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques, whether digital or otherwise, used to support access to knowledge. 

B. Beginning in Fall of 2020, each public postsecondary education institution shall: 

(1) Use a conspicuous symbol, logo, or other distinguishing feature to highlight each course included in its course schedule that exclusively utilizes AER or OER course materials and ensure that these course materials comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) and the federal Copyright Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-533). Nothing in this Paragraph shall be construed to prohibit a postsecondary education institution from including other distinguishing features in its course schedule related to the cost of course materials. 

(2) Clearly communicate to students how to access AER and OER course materials. 

(3) Provide summary data as requested by the Board of Regents regarding courses that exclusively utilize AER and OER course materials. 

(4) Publish the course schedule and any required textbooks which have been reported to the institution on its website prior to opening course registration, but not later than thirty days prior to the beginning of each academic term, and provide this information to LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network, individual campus libraries, and other entities or programs as might be specified by the Board of Regents. 

Added by Acts 2019, No. 125, § 1, eff. June 6, 2019.