HB 7162 Summary

• Establishes the Connecticut Open Educational Resource Coordinating Council within the Executive Department, effective July 1, 2019, to promote affordable college-level educational resources available through creative commons licensing.

• Council membership consists of a state-wide coordinator (chair), plus three representatives each (faculty, administrator, staff) from UConn, regional community-technical colleges, Charter Oak State College, Connecticut State University System, and independent institutions, plus one student from any public or independent institution.

• Initial appointments made by September 1, 2019 with three-year terms expiring August 30, 2022; members serve without compensation but receive reimbursement for necessary expenses.

• Council functions include identifying high-impact courses, administering competitive grants for faculty to develop open educational resources, reviewing grant applications, establishing a state-sponsored digital clearinghouse database, and promoting production and access strategies.

• Council must submit annual reports to the joint standing committee on higher education beginning January 1, 2021, detailing high-impact courses served, institutional promotion of open resources, grant amounts awarded, and recommendations for statutory amendments.