Textbook Savings Program Surpasses $10M
ZTC Initiative Eliminates the Barrier of Expensive Textbooks
Thomas Edison State University (TESU) announced today that its Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) initiative has passed the $10M milestone in savings. ZTC is a program that provides no-cost, high-quality learning materials in lieu of traditional textbooks.
Started in 2016, TESU’s ZTC initiative has harnessed Open Educational Resources (OER) and other no-cost alternatives in approximately 115 online and Guided Study courses across multiple areas of study. These courses have eliminated textbook costs entirely, offering accessible and comprehensive readings, case studies, multimedia and more.
“At Thomas Edison, our mission is to deliver high-quality education that is accessible to a wide range of students,” said Dr. Merodie A. Hancock, TESU president. “Through initiatives like ZTC, we are breaking down cost barriers that can prevent students from earning their degrees, making sure that a student’s path to education is affordable and attainable.”
According to a US Public Interest Research Group study, 65% of U.S. students surveyed in 2020 did not purchase required textbooks due to high costs, despite 90% expressing concern about its impact on their academic success. At TESU, ZTC courses ensure students avoid unexpected access fees and course material costs.
“TESU’s Center for Learning and Technology began exploring affordable course materials as early as 2010,” said Matt Cooper, associate vice president for Organizational Learning and chief technology officer. “These early pilots gave us critical experience in integrating OER at scale. Since launching ZTC formally in 2016, we have continued to learn and grow the program significantly.”
When ZTC materials were unavailable, TESU pioneered Low Textbook Cost (LTC) options, where materials cost $75 or less. Alongside 115 ZTC courses, TESU offers around 135 LTC courses with 14 courses having material costs of $25 or less and 120 courses with costs between $26 and $75. In areas where ZTC adoption is still developing, such as science labs, TESU has already begun converting textbooks to OER to reduce costs further.
A strategic component of TESU’s ZTC program is its focus on high-enrollment and specific programs, such as TECEP, the Doctor of Business Administration and a new one-credit initiative, aiming to make entire programs ZTC/LTC.
Since 2016, the ZTC initiative has saved TESU students more than $10 million in textbook costs, with savings over the years as follows:
- 2016-17: $378,828
- 2017-18: $369,342
- 2018-19: $829,260
- 2019-20: $739,143
- 2020-21: $1,627,767
- 2021-22: $1,648,269
- 2022-23: $1,884,807
- 2023-24: $2,089,827
- 2025 to date: $525,402
This achievement is largely supported by the TESU Foundation, whose donors have been instrumental in funding the development and integration of free learning resources. Their contributions, led by Steven R. King, MBA ’15, BSBA ’93 and his wife, Kay, have allowed TESU to help students save significantly on educational costs while advancing degree completion and post-graduate success. King recently received an honorary degree from TESU during this year’s commencement ceremony in recognition of his leadership.
Moving forward, TESU plans to expand its ZTC offerings by evaluating all high-enrollment courses for OER opportunities during revisions and updates, ensuring affordability and quality across all academic programs.