From VB to TCC to ODU to the C-Suite: Creating a Text-Book Free Pathway to a Bachelor’s Z-Degree

To counter tuition and textbook costs for degree-seeking students, a specific pathway to a bachelor’s degree in Leadership was developed.  The pathway, comprised of partnerships with the Entrepreneurship and Business Academy (EBA) at Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach, Tidewater Community College (TCC), and Old Dominion University (ODU), reduced tuition and textbook costs, allowing the completion of the Leadership major textbook-free using Open Educational Resources (OER).  The three partners established the infrastructure necessary to expand the delivery of textbook-free courses, by recruiting and providing OER training for faculty and teachers at ODU and Kempsville High School. This training was offered through ODU and TCC. Eight Kempsville High School teachers and eighteen ODU faculty participated in TCC’s OER training.  In addition, ODU developed supplemental OER training to support their faculty throughout the grant period. Since summer 2017, the EBA enrolled 364 high school students with 207 completing 349 dual- enrollment courses. While the EBA and TCC students have not yet matriculated, the Leadership major has already gained noted success for students. Within three semesters, students saved approximately $113,000 (based on 936-course registrations), in textbook costs for the IDS major in leadership.  At Kempsville High School, students taking dual-enrollment courses saved approximately $230,640 in tuition costs. As the program matures it will have a direct and profound impact on first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students in the Commonwealth. For students who earn a Bachelor’s degree through this pathway, it is possible that the full tuition for the degree could be as low as $16,725. The textbook costs for students through this pathway could be reduced from an average cost of $5,000 to zero.