The University of Northern Iowa’s Textbook Equity initiative has reached a record-breaking milestone, saving UNI students nearly $900,000 in 2024 alone — an 84% increase from the previous year. Since tracking began in 2016, the initiative has saved students more than $2.9 million by providing access to high-quality, no-cost course materials.

Textbook Equity is a campuswide initiative designed to ensure all UNI students have access to affordable, accessible and inclusive course materials. A key component of the initiative is the use of Open Educational Resources (OER), which accounted for 74% of student savings in 2024. Additional savings were generated through unlimited library-licensed content, Open Access books and other free materials.

“This year’s record-breaking savings demonstrate UNI’s ongoing commitment to reducing the financial burden of course materials for students,” said Anne Marie Gruber, UNI Textbook Equity librarian. “We’re incredibly proud of our faculty champions who are making course materials more available and affordable for all students.”

In 2024, more than 100 faculty members — recognized as Textbook Equity Champions — helped transition 90 courses across 277 sections to free materials, benefiting 7,465 students. The number of faculty participating increased by 28% from 2023, while the number of course sections using free materials nearly doubled.

The initiative had a significant impact on UNI’s general education curriculum, UNIFI, with 51% of total savings coming from UNIFI courses. The number of course sections in UNIFI using free texts more than doubled in one year, reaching 140 sections.

The Textbook Equity initiative not only benefits UNI students but also students at other institutions. Since 2022, Rod Library has published more than 12 openly licensed textbooks authored by UNI faculty, saving UNI students approximately $410,000 annually and students at other institutions more than $64,000.

UNI’s commitment to textbook equity goes beyond campus borders, with faculty and staff providing statewide and national leadership through participation in the Iowa OER Action Team and the Open Education Network Steering Committee.

The Textbook Equity initiative continues to grow through partnerships with the UNI Registrar’s Office, UNI Bookstore, Northern Iowa Student Government and the Textbook Equity Student Advisory Board. Programs such as the Course Materials Affordability Review service further support faculty in identifying free and affordable course materials.

Textbook Equity is just one of many ways UNI keeps its degrees affordable to students. UNI remains the most affordable public four-year university in the state of Iowa. During the 2023-24 academic year, UNI distributed $99.1 million in financial aid.