TO A Z-DEGREE: Houston Community College (HCC) is partnering with the Kinder Foundation develop a Z-degree program—meaning or zero textbook fees—in time for students this fall. The Foundation donated $300,000 in grant funds to launch the effort, which will begin as a pilot for between 75 to 100 students.
HCC Z-degrees will cover costs throughout students’ two-year associate’s degree in business administration and general studies, and students participating in the program will use free open educational resources (OER). The grant money will also be used to fund staffing and program promotion. Cesar Maldonado, chancellor at HCC, said in a press announcement that the college is evaluating ways to expand across the campus.
“In some cases, the cost of textbooks exceeds the cost of tuition,” Dr. Stephen Levey, HCC’s vice chancellor of instructional services, also said in the prepared statement. “OER provides freely accessible materials for learning, as well as teaching, assessment, and research.”
