(20 ILCS 4101/20)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on March 31, 2025)

Sec. 20. Duties.

(a) The duties of the College Course Materials Affordability and Equitable Access Task Force are to:

(1) conduct a collaborative college course materials affordability and equitable access study;

(2) examine the cost-saving methods and practices utilized by public and private institutions of higher learning in this State and throughout the United States for improving students' equitable first-day-of-class access to required course materials and conduct an affordability comparison of providing students' course materials, including digital learning tools; and

(3) submit a report of its findings to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

(b) The report required to be submitted under subsection (a) shall include all of the following items:

(1) A list of cost-saving methods available to students, including, but not limited to:

(A) inclusive access programs;

(B) textbook subscription programs;

(C) textbook rental programs;

(D) used textbooks; and

(E) other institutional textbook cost-saving methods, such as open educational resources.

(2) The total amount of cost savings achieved by public and private institutions of higher learning and the total number of students that utilize each cost-saving method.

(3) The equitable access achieved for students by providing all students with access to course materials on the first day of class.

(4) The potential impact on academic freedom of faculty to be able to choose the most appropriate materials for their courses for each of the various methods of providing course materials.

(5) A description of the process required to implement each cost-saving method listed in paragraph (1) of this subsection (b).

(6) A description of the process by which students obtain required course materials.

(7) The current, future, and potential costs of the development and maintenance necessary for the utilization of any course material that is provided to students at no charge.

(8) The identification of best practices resulting from the cost-saving methods listed in paragraph (1) of this subsection (b).

(9) An examination of the following areas in relation to improving equity in higher education to determine whether the methods:

(A) improved equitable access to required course materials by the first day of class;

(B) increased the affordability of required course materials; and

(C) improved access to learning materials and improved student outcomes for minority, low-income, and first-generation students.

(10) A description of the ways students and faculty are utilizing or have utilized inclusive access programs, subscription programs, textbook rental programs, used textbooks, and open educational resources for the purposes of remote learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic health crisis.

(Source: P.A. 102-122, eff. 7-23-21.)