The University of Arkansas Cossatot Textbook Rental/Open Educational Resource (OER) Program continues to help students overcome financial barriers by including two primary medical programs.

The college’s Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) and Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) programs transitioned from requiring students to buy textbooks to renting, which will save students over $18,000 per year.

UA Cossatot Director of Educational Resources and OER Specialist Relinda Ruth proposed a three-payment plan for each program that allows students to rent all the required textbooks for a minimal fee.

“Textbooks are expensive and create another financial hardship for students,” said Ruth. “Our sole purpose has always been removing barriers to education for students and we are pleased that the college’s PTA and OTA programs are joining the program to help achieve that goal.”

UA Cossatot has saved students over $1.5 million since becoming the first two-year college in Arkansas to implement an internal textbook rental and OER program in early 2015. Including medical programs will greatly increase student savings.

“We are excited to be able to offer this textbook rental program to our students,” said UA Cossatot PTA Program Director Jennifer Sanderson. “Renting, rather than buying, textbooks saves our students hundreds of dollars.”

Over half of the courses at UA Cossatot do not require a textbook and instead use OER materials to supplement instruction.

For more information about textbook rentals, OER, or student services the Educational Resource Center (ERC) offers, please contact Relinda Ruth at 870-584-1181.