We are excited to announce that, in August 2020, PASCAL will begin accepting Proposals for SCALE Affordable Learning Grants. This two-year pilot is based on similar grant programs in nearby states that have saved students millions of dollars. These programs have also been directly linked to several measures of student success. By funding grants for independent affordable learning initiatives, PASCAL can help member institutions create significant cost-savings as well as improve learning outcomes for students across South Carolina. The pilot will help PASCAL and member institutions develop a framework for grant administration that can be expanded as additional funding becomes available.
Our goal is to expand the availability of course materials that are free of cost to our students by providing funds to member institutions to support approaches they deem most effective for their individual campus. SCALE Affordable Learning Grants are designed to support PASCAL member institutions in the following efforts:
Beginning in August PASCAL will accept applications for SCALE Affordable Learning Grants. Applications are due by September 30, 2020. A webinar will be held via Zoom on August 4, 2020 at 2pm to provide an overview of the grants program and to give members with an opportunity to ask any questions.
For more information on the SCALE Affordable Learning Grants program, visit: https://pascalsc.libguides.com/scale/grants.
About PASCAL’s SCALE (South Carolina Affordable Learning) Initiative:
In 2017, PASCAL established its Affordable Learning Task Force and launched SCALE (South Carolina Affordable Learning). a statewide initiative that seeks to reduce the overall cost of higher education for students by promoting the use of quality low-cost and no-cost learning materials.
SCALE programs have included the Professors for Affordable Learning award, an educational webinar series that included a certificate program, and multiple full-day workshops to train librarians to lead affordable learning initiatives on their campuses. In addition, we strengthened our program by joining the Open Textbook Network. This partnership allowed PASCAL to bring in national experts who conducted two train-the-trainer programs, empowering librarians and other stakeholders to lead the creation and delivery of OER workshops across member institutions.
With the solid foundation of affordable learning knowledge that has been established over the past three years, PASCAL member institutions are now in a strong position to deem which approaches to affordable learning will best serve the needs of their campuses.
For questions about the SCALE Affordable Learning Grants Program, please contact Amy Trepal.
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