On January 22nd the North Dakota University System announced that a new policy lowering the costs of textbooks and student materials would be going into effect on Aug. 1st of this year, making school supplies more affordable for college students starting in the Fall 2025 semester.
The policy, approved by the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education, requires a change to the way courses are marked to show students which are the most affordable, as well as training for faculty so they can utilize cheaper materials while still providing students with a good education. It promotes the use of Open Educational Resources (OER), which are low-cost alternatives to the more expensive textbooks that college courses have historically used.
Any college student who has been disappointed or stressed out by the amount of money they have to spend on textbooks will find this policy beneficial. It can be an added burden to have to purchase books after already paying for tuition, rent, a parking pass and everything else students have to take on when they start school. With student debt rising nationally, there is a positive impact on everyone when policymakers try to reduce college costs by encouraging colleges to make use of free and reduced-cost resources that already exist.
According to a press release from the North Dakota University System announcing the new policy, the average cost of textbooks for the 2023-2024 school year at NDUS schools was $991, which is about $300 cheaper than the national average. The anticipated cost reduction from the new policy will help to make North Dakota an even more affordable place to go to college.