As higher ed administrators consider equitable and inclusive access programs proposed by bookstores and publishers, many in the open education community argue they present an existential threat to the OER movement. This panel session invites dialogue about these initiatives and how to approach them with foresight, pragmatism, and creativity.

This interactive panel session will dive into a fraught issue unfolding in real time for many in the higher education community who care deeply about equity, access, and affordability. Over the past decade, open education projects at many institutions have driven impressive gains in textbook affordability and access to learning materials, along with other benefits. But with the advent of equitable and inclusive access programs offered by bookstores and textbook publishers, many in the open education community are raising an alarm. These new models for procuring commercial publishers’ content appear on the surface to lower textbook costs dramatically by negotiating advantageous pricing automatically charged to all students in return for first-day access to course materials. However, questions remain about the transparency of these agreements, how they affect faculty choice of learning materials, how they limit student access to textbooks beyond the duration of a course, and what will be their long term impact on textbook affordability and access. Some open education advocates worry faculty and administrators will lose interest in open educational resources (OER) projects if the pressing driver of textbook affordability is no longer a major factor. Meanwhile others argue this crossroads is an ideal opportunity to demonstrate compelling benefits of OER and open education that equitable and inclusive access programs cannot match: empowering student agency and engagement, increasing cultural relevance, supporting pedagogical innovation, and more. Many institutions are actively evaluating and trying out equitable and inclusive access programs, and many are watching what happens from the sidelines. Open education partisans in particular may feel pulled in multiple directions as they seek strategies and policies that will ultimately lead to improved affordability, access, student engagement, and equitable student success outcomes. They must also navigate campus politics as colleagues, superiors, professional associations, and even the US Department of Education wade into this issue. This session’s panelists include higher education leaders from different types of organizations that have invested in OER and open educational practices (OEP) in order to impact textbook affordability, access, student engagement, and digital learning innovation. Mindful of these investments, they are actively involved in helping shape the path forward as their institutions consider equitable and inclusive access programs. Running the gamut from concern and resistance to pragmatism and creativity, this session will invite productive dialogue and ideation around how to preserve the hard-won gains of open education while navigating the evolving landscape of access to commercial publishers’ learning materials. This session will facilitate organic dialogue between panelists and audience members using a modified, participatory “fishbowl” format to facilitate thoughtful dialogue and inclusive engagement. It will begin as a “closed fishbowl” with panelists and the moderator in dialogue about their work with open education and how their organizations have been navigating equitable and inclusive access programs. Half-way through the allotted session time, the format will shift to an “open fishbowl,” where members of the audience are invited to occupy an open chair to tag into the discussion to ask questions, comment, or share perspectives based on their experiences and expertise. We will expressly invite participation from people who bring different contexts: diversity in institution type, geography, program goals, and so forth. The primary purpose of this session is to provide attendees with thoughtful context around equitable and inclusive access programs and their potential impact on open education initiatives, as well as actionable ideas for how to navigate this possible collision point. By inviting multiple voices and perspectives through an inclusive “fishbowl” style panel, we hope to explore these questions: +What are the “knowns” and “unknowns” around equitable and inclusive access programs and how they may impact students, faculty, and textbook affordability? +How do equitable and inclusive access programs affect interest and momentum around OER and open education practices? +What gives OER and OEP initiatives continued relevance in the face of equitable and inclusive access programs? What value do they offer beyond the first day access and lower textbook costs promised by equitable/inclusive access programs? +What are the risks to open education advocates in terms of campus politics if they choose vocal opposition to potentially popular equitable and inclusive access programs? +What questions should campus stakeholders be asking as they strategize and make decisions around both open education initiatives and equitable and inclusive access programs? +For campus decision makers who care deeply about open education and its benefits, what are recommended practices and approaches for navigating the potential opportunities and pitfalls of equitable and inclusive access programs?