Thursday, April 27, 2017  
Students dig into campus sustainability | Online Textbook Network reduces student costs
Students gather April 21 to plant trees in BGSU’s campaign to become a Tree Campus USA
Students dig into campus sustainability

BGSU is one step closer to becoming a Tree Campus USA after an early celebration of Arbor Day during the University’s Earth Week. On April 21, the Office of Campus Sustainability brought students, Campus Operations and community members together for a tree planting. About 30 students volunteered to plant the three trees, 7-foot Norway spruces provided by Dasani. The students dug the holes between Kohl Hall and Carillon Place without any assistance from machinery.

The first Arbor Day was observed April 10, 1872, in Nebraska, during which an estimated one million trees were planted. Since then it has developed into a civic holiday in Nebraska and is celebrated across the country on the last Friday in April. Over 250 million trees have been planted since the Arbor Day Foundation was formed in 1972.

One Arbor Day initiative is to increase the number and variety of trees across the country by having Tree Campuses host tree plantings. BGSU is pursuing designation as a Tree Campus USA.

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Miller on the Bill O’Reilly firing – 13abc
Alumni Summer College – The Blade, 13abc, BG Independent News
Preview Day – 13abc
“Well Born” to premiere – BG Independent News
Falcon eggs hatch – The Blade, BG Independent News
Greek Village earns LEED gold – BG Independent News
Court Street Connects – BG Independent News

Online Textbook Network yields benefits, reduces student costs

BGSU is adding a new option to help students avoid the “sticker shock” of expensive textbooks and the strain that purchasing them can place on their budgets. The University Libraries has joined the Online Textbook Network (OTN), which promotes access, affordability and student success through the use of free, open textbooks.

“BGSU is very concerned about the cost of a university education,” said Sara Bushong, dean of the University Libraries. “Now, faculty will have the opportunity to adopt an open textbook from the Open Textbook Library for use as classroom materials. Because these textbooks are free and open-licensed for anyone to use, this option dramatically reduces the cost of textbooks for BGSU students. There are many general topics applicable for general education and high-enrolled first year courses, for example.”

Using the online network is already saving money for its early adopters, Bushong said. OTN works with 380 campuses around the country (about 10 percent of higher education), and its first nine members alone reported savings of $3.1 million, according to its website.

“Bowling Green State University is committed to making college more affordable for our students,” said President Mary Ellen Mazey. “Having access to online textbooks is an excellent way in which to reduce students’ costs while still maintaining high educational standards.”

In addition to making the peer-reviewed academic textbooks available across the curriculum, BGSU gains other benefits from joining the Open Textbook Network, Bushong said. “BGSU has joined as an institutional member so that we can have the campus workshop led by OTN staff. OTN also provides a dashboard that will keep track of BGSU’s savings for students as our faculty adopt open textbooks. Being a network member also provides the University the opportunity to join with others throughout the country in support of open access. OhioLINK has joined as a consortial member, and we will also partner with them to support state-wide textbook affordability measures.”

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Student photo exhibit at Toledo Museum of Art

Speaking Of"Speaking Of"
“Speaking Of” is the title of a distinctive photography exhibit created by students in Lynn Whitney’s Community Projects in Photography class.

The exhibit, which opens Friday (April 28) in the Community Gallery at the Toledo Museum of Art, features the students’ photographs of individuals assisted through Wood Lane, the local board of developmental disabilities.

“In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, and now, 27 years later, Ohio, among other states, continues to face challenges raised by the ADA,” the introduction to the exhibition states. “With our work we speak of and with individuals who live and work as we all do.”

The public is invited to the opening reception, from 6-7:30 p.m. Friday in the Community Gallery, located on the lower level of the main museum. The exhibit will be on display at the museum through Aug. 6.


IN BRIEF

The College of Arts and Sciences is hosting a retirement reception to honor Dr. Julie Barnes, executive associate dean, from 3-5 p.m. May 2 in 317 Bowen-Thompson Student Union. A brief program will begin at 4 p.m. The University community is invited to attend.

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