Course Schedule Marking Legislation

In 2019, the Louisiana Legislature passed Act No. 125 (Senate Bill No. 117). Among other things, it stated that public postsecondary education institutions in the state shall "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."

Key Terms: 

OER: A 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.

AER: A single or collection of required resources that may be offered at no or low cost to a student at a pre-sales tax cost that does not exceed an amount equal to four times the federal minimum wage.

Course Schedule: Sometimes called the Student Information System (SIS), registration system, or course timetable. This web-based listing details the college or university's courses to be offered in a specific academic period. 

Course Marking: Per the legislation, 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" This may be in the form of an attribute, designation, tag, flag, or label. 

Louisiana FAQs:

The Board of Regents website includes a detailed FAQ document. It includes information on:

• Key definitions
• Reporting via SSPS Submissions
• Common questions about how to determine costs
• Potential scenarios 

External Resources:

Marking Open and Affordable Courses: Best Practices and Case Studies

This collaboratively authored guide helps institutions navigate the uncharted waters of tagging course material as open educational resources (OER) or under a low-cost threshold by summarizing relevant state legislation, providing tips for working with stakeholders, and analyzing technological and process considerations. The first half of the book provides high-level analysis of the technology, legislation, and cultural change needed to operationalize course markings. The second half features case studies.

Open Education Network Office Hours: OER Course Markings

This Office Hours session explored how you can communicate and tag your open or low-cost courses for easier student discovery. Cost of learning materials is a top consideration for many students selecting their courses each term. Being transparent about these costs in your institution’s central information system is key to students making informed enrollment decisions. Guests shared their experiences marking OER in information systems or course catalogues. They looked at the role of relevant institutional or state legislature in mandating clear markings. Guests also examined the impact that effective course markings has on student awareness, enrollment, and course completion.

LSU Libraries What is ACT 125 LibGuide

LSU Libraries' LibGuide is an example of libraries supporting course marking initiatives by providing guidance and resources for faculty wishing to adopt OER or AER.