As an open-enrollment institution committed to academic success, Utah Tech University was granted over $2 million from the federal Strengthening Institutions Program to mitigate financial and academic challenges particularly among first-year students.
The five-year, $2,015,497 grant will enable Utah Tech to create an Affordable and Accessible Pathways Program utilizing open educational resources to replace costly textbooks and supplemental instruction to assist in high-failure courses.
“We are so thrilled as this is a tremendously significant grant for the university and our division,” Kelly Peterson-Fairchild, dean of the Library & Open Learning Services and the grant project director, said. “It will allow us to support students in two key areas – lowering the cost of higher education and providing extra academic support.”
With the help of the grant, the university will serve thousands of students, ultimately increasing retention and graduation rates with more students achieving academic success in general education courses as well as experiencing a decrease in the overall cost of course materials.
Utah Tech has been rapidly growing, with enrollment increasing by 42 percent in the past ten years. As part of this growth, Utah Tech has been dedicated to transformational education experiences for students with a focus on active learning and a commitment to access, affordability and student success.
For more information about Utah Tech University’s Library & Open Learning Services, go to library.utahtech.edu/ or, to learn more about the Title III Strengthening Institutions Program, visit www2.ed.gov/programs/iduestitle3a/index.html.