The Affordable Access Awards recognize faculty and staff who demonstrate a commitment to addressing textbook affordability and the principles of open education. We are excited to announce that starting in 2025, there will be two separate awards to recognize the various ways of contributing to the cause of affordability in higher education.

Affordable Access Innovation and Design Award 

This award recognizes faculty and staff who make outstanding contributions in support of open education through course transformation or the creation/development/adaptation of open educational resources (OER). To be eligible, nominees must demonstrate a commitment to open education and course affordability by writing an open textbook or transforming a course through the creating, remixing, or adapting low or no-cost course materials. The scope of the recognized activity for this award should be at least on a course-wide basis.

Awardees will be selected based on their contributions to open and affordable education. Strong consideration will be given to nominees whose actions result in direct student savings.

Examples of activities that are eligible for recognition under this award include but are not limited to:

• Creating and distributing an open textbook or other major significant OER work in Pressbooks or similar platform

• Designing and developing OER for use in UF courses

• Contributing to CourseShare, Open Florida SOAR, or other OER repositories

• Creating/remixing/adapting affordable materials for use in a course such that the entire course is now affordable (defined as $20 or under per credit hour) or zero cost to students

• Leading students in developing OER as part of a class project 

Affordable Access Advocacy and Adoption Award 

This award recognizes faculty and staff who make significant contributions in support of open education through advocacy or the adoption of open educational resources (OER). To be eligible, nominees must demonstrate a commitment to open education and course affordability by advocating for affordability or adopting OER materials in a course.

Awardees will be selected based on promoting open and affordable education. Strong consideration will be given to nominees whose actions result in direct student savings.

Examples of activities that are eligible for recognition under this award include but are not limited to:

• Participating in committees, advocacy groups, or learning communities dedicated to promoting affordable education.

• Assisting instructors in replacing commercial course materials with library resources.

• Disseminating information about the impact of affordable course materials on student success.

• Conducting a workshop series on reducing costs within a specific discipline

• Advocating for OER and other textbook affordability initiatives

• Adopting affordable materials for use in a course

• Teaching and modeling open education concepts and practices to students

Schedule 

The schedule for the 2025 Affordable Access Awards is as follows:

• November 1, 2024: Nomination window opens

• January 19, 2025: Deadline to submit nominations

• February 2025: Committee will evaluate nominees and vote on winners

• April 2025: Award winners will be notified and posted to the CTE Awards page

• April 2025: The 2025 Affordable Access Awards winners will be announced at a University-wide awards ceremony

Application Window:

The application window will open on November 1, 2024 at Noon EST and closes on January 19, 2025 11:59 PM EST.

How to Nominate

If you are interested in submitting a nomination for yourself or a colleague, preview the nomination form questions before submitting a nomination through ProposalSpace.