Open Educational Resources (OER) are "teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under a license that permits their free use, reuse, modification, and sharing with others." (US Dept of Education, 2017). OER come in many types and formats of resources including:
Textbooks / Courses / Course Materials / Lesson Plans / Videos / Tests / Software / & more
- Cost Savings – OER eliminate the cost of textbooks and educational materials, making education more affordable for students.
- Accessibility – These resources are available online, ensuring that anyone with internet access can use them.
- Customization & Adaptability – Educators can modify OER to suit specific teaching needs and update them as necessary.
- Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing – OER encourage global collaboration among educators and institutions.
- Increased Learning Opportunities – Learners from diverse backgrounds can access high-quality educational materials at no cost.
- Support for Lifelong Learning – People outside formal education can use OER to continue learning new skills and knowledge.
- Diversity & Inclusion – OER can be translated and adapted to different cultural and linguistic contexts, promoting inclusivity.
Appointed by the Provost, members of the OER Committee establish overall policy and guidelines for the implementation and expansion of OER course materials.
Members include:
-
Christy Drake, University Libraries, Co-Chair
-
Amber Gruszeczka, University Libraries, Co-Chair
-
Marissa Jimenez, Division of Academic Affairs (ex officio)
-
Sommer Alexander, Division of Enrollment, Transformation and Technology
-
Sujatha Alla, Batten College of Engineering and Technology
-
Steven Becker, Joint School of Public Health
-
Andrew Bennet, Strome College of Business
-
Rebecca Berger, Division of Enrollment, Transformation and Technology
-
Prajna Bhandary, Interdisciplinary Schools
-
Megan Corbett, Division of Academic Affairs
-
Shannon Hurt, Division of Student and Campus Life
-
Jasmine Kirby, University Libraries
-
Jonathan Lee, Darden College of Education and Professional Studies
-
Eva Maddox, Ellmer College of Health Sciences
-
Benjamin Melusky, College of Arts and Letters
-
Janet Moloney, College of Sciences
-
Beth Tremblay, Ellmer School of Nursing
Upcoming Events & News
Open & Affordable Community Forum
, November 6, 2026
Register to attend in-person at Reynolds Community College in Richmond, VA or online on Friday, November 6, 2026.
Also, it's not too late to share your open education project at the Forum. Simply submit your project details using the .
Visit the webpage to see a preliminary 2026 agenda and past Forum agendas.
VIVA OER Office Hours
Friday October 30, from 10:30 a.m. to noon!
It may be spooky season, but open education doesn’t have to be scary! Please join me this Friday, 10/30, from 10:30 am-noon [note the slightly later start time] to ask any questions about OER, VIVA OER programs, or VIVA Publishing.
Zoom information (same as previous months) is:
Meeting ID: 913 3640 6557
Passcode: 028254
We’ll keep the zoom room open the full 1.5 hours, regardless of attendance, so, if you have a question or would like to chat, feel free to join whenever during works best for your schedule. And you are welcome to share this invite with anyone for whom you think it might be useful.
About VIVA OER Office Hours
OER office hours is a dedicated space where folks from around the consortium can drop in to ask questions about VIVA-OER related things and/or have some time/space to work on OER projects. We know sometimes questions come up and it’s easier to find a time to chat and/or easy to forget. While you’re of course still welcome to schedule one-on-one meetings with us, we want to provide this informal opportunity for chats and discussions.
VIVA OER Office Hours will typically occur the last Friday of every month, from 10am-noon.
We can answer questions about:
* (e.g. open RFPs, expectations, grant program stats)
* (e.g. platforms and publishing service support)
* Open Licensing (e.g. Creative Commons licensing)
* VIVA Open and Affordable Programming (e.g. , )
If there are other OER questions or discussions you’d like to have, feel free to stop by and we’ll try to help. We also invite VIVA Open Grantees or others working on adopting, customizing, or writing an OER to take advantage of these sessions to block off dedicated working/writing time. We can be your accountability partner and/or answer questions as you work.
We are planning on keeping the zoom room open the full two hours, regardless of attendance, so feel free to join whenever during the two hours works best for your schedule.
Applications Due
Call for librarians, instructional designers, and art & design experts. Applications due November 20
VIVA is excited to announce that we are currently accepting applications for participants in the 2027-28 Rapid Publishing Program, which will create an introductory art and design OER. are due November 20.
The VIVA Rapid Publishing Program provides infrastructure and support for the creation of an Open Education Resource (OER) that will fill an identified gap in an area of high need for Virginia higher education. For 2027-28, the Rapid Publishing Program will be creating an introductory art and design text. Introductory art and design--which includes introductory visual arts classes, such as painting, drawing, two-dimensional design, and three-dimensional design—builds the foundation for art programs in higher education. These classes are often more expensive for students, who are required to purchase both textbooks and art supplies. VIVA is working to help reduce the cost of education for art students by supporting the creation of an art and design OER. As this topic can be broad, the assembled team will narrow down this topic once assembled based on their expertise. The final text should be able to be adopted in art and design courses at a variety of institution types (e.g. research, comprehensive, and community colleges) across Virginia. This text is intended for lower-level undergraduates.
For this Request for Expression of Interest, we are looking for:
- Five to seven faculty authors with experience in art and design. Authors should have experience writing but do not need experience with or knowledge of OER. Faculty and practitioners with expertise in art and design from a variety of angles are encouraged to apply.
- One librarian to help support the authors, including with licensing and tracking resources. Applicants do not need subject matter expertise.
- One instructional designer to help support the authors with course design best practices. Applicants do not need subject matter expertise.
Applicants will apply individually, although we encourage faculty to share with their colleagues who may be interested. A VIVA committee will review applications to assemble a multi-institution team to author the text. VIVA Publishing staff will manage the project, facilitate meetings, and coordinate external peer review and production work.
Expectations for participants and additional information about the program, including an expected timeline, can be found in the Request for Expression of Interest, which can be found on the . The deadline is March November 20, 2026.
Questions about the program or application can be sent to vivapub@gmu.edu.
Open & Affordable Community Forum
, November 6, 2026
Register to attend in-person at Reynolds Community College in Richmond, VA or online on Friday, November 6, 2026.
Also, it's not too late to share your open education project at the Forum. Simply submit your project details using the .
Visit the webpage to see a preliminary 2026 agenda and past Forum agendas.
VIVA OER Office Hours
Friday October 30, from 10:30 a.m. to noon!
It may be spooky season, but open education doesn’t have to be scary! Please join me this Friday, 10/30, from 10:30 am-noon [note the slightly later start time] to ask any questions about OER, VIVA OER programs, or VIVA Publishing.
Zoom information (same as previous months) is:
Meeting ID: 913 3640 6557
Passcode: 028254
We’ll keep the zoom room open the full 1.5 hours, regardless of attendance, so, if you have a question or would like to chat, feel free to join whenever during works best for your schedule. And you are welcome to share this invite with anyone for whom you think it might be useful.
About VIVA OER Office Hours
OER office hours is a dedicated space where folks from around the consortium can drop in to ask questions about VIVA-OER related things and/or have some time/space to work on OER projects. We know sometimes questions come up and it’s easier to find a time to chat and/or easy to forget. While you’re of course still welcome to schedule one-on-one meetings with us, we want to provide this informal opportunity for chats and discussions.
VIVA OER Office Hours will typically occur the last Friday of every month, from 10am-noon.
We can answer questions about:
* (e.g. open RFPs, expectations, grant program stats)
* (e.g. platforms and publishing service support)
* Open Licensing (e.g. Creative Commons licensing)
* VIVA Open and Affordable Programming (e.g. , )
If there are other OER questions or discussions you’d like to have, feel free to stop by and we’ll try to help. We also invite VIVA Open Grantees or others working on adopting, customizing, or writing an OER to take advantage of these sessions to block off dedicated working/writing time. We can be your accountability partner and/or answer questions as you work.
We are planning on keeping the zoom room open the full two hours, regardless of attendance, so feel free to join whenever during the two hours works best for your schedule.
Applications Due
Call for librarians, instructional designers, and art & design experts. Applications due November 20
VIVA is excited to announce that we are currently accepting applications for participants in the 2027-28 Rapid Publishing Program, which will create an introductory art and design OER. are due November 20.
The VIVA Rapid Publishing Program provides infrastructure and support for the creation of an Open Education Resource (OER) that will fill an identified gap in an area of high need for Virginia higher education. For 2027-28, the Rapid Publishing Program will be creating an introductory art and design text. Introductory art and design--which includes introductory visual arts classes, such as painting, drawing, two-dimensional design, and three-dimensional design—builds the foundation for art programs in higher education. These classes are often more expensive for students, who are required to purchase both textbooks and art supplies. VIVA is working to help reduce the cost of education for art students by supporting the creation of an art and design OER. As this topic can be broad, the assembled team will narrow down this topic once assembled based on their expertise. The final text should be able to be adopted in art and design courses at a variety of institution types (e.g. research, comprehensive, and community colleges) across Virginia. This text is intended for lower-level undergraduates.
For this Request for Expression of Interest, we are looking for:
- Five to seven faculty authors with experience in art and design. Authors should have experience writing but do not need experience with or knowledge of OER. Faculty and practitioners with expertise in art and design from a variety of angles are encouraged to apply.
- One librarian to help support the authors, including with licensing and tracking resources. Applicants do not need subject matter expertise.
- One instructional designer to help support the authors with course design best practices. Applicants do not need subject matter expertise.
Applicants will apply individually, although we encourage faculty to share with their colleagues who may be interested. A VIVA committee will review applications to assemble a multi-institution team to author the text. VIVA Publishing staff will manage the project, facilitate meetings, and coordinate external peer review and production work.
Expectations for participants and additional information about the program, including an expected timeline, can be found in the Request for Expression of Interest, which can be found on the . The deadline is March November 20, 2026.
Questions about the program or application can be sent to vivapub@gmu.edu.