Texas Toolkit for OER Course Markings (a living guide)

Administration

Administrators are perhaps the most obvious stakeholder group to involve early in the conversation about providing searchable information, as they often facilitate the implementation of new policies and processes that impact the entire campus. However, they do not always initiate this work. Even when mandates are involved, as is the case in Texas, it’s best to avoid assumptions that administrators are aware of the regulation, its impact, and its implications for campus.

	Administrators can be excellent allies in developing and communicating expectations to instructors, particularly in units that don’t have strong ties to the university’s open education efforts.
	Administrative buy-in can take time to develop and progress can be slow. Begin outreach with this stakeholder group immediately.
	Expect misconceptions about OER, and be prepared to address concerns about inaccurate reporting.

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Registrars

Most OER course marking strategies will involve the records or registrar's office. Personnel in this unit frequently have existing relationships with the campus store and college or university administrators, and they are the linchpin for adapting systems to accommodate new course information. Registration and records offices can provide valuable information about how existing systems work and how course information is funneled from instructors to students. They are vital stakeholders in determining the feasibility of modifications or additions to existing platforms. Additionally, they are frequently responsible for producing and protecting university data and can assist in efforts to streamline reporting and improve information sharing.

	Records offices are accustomed to accommodating legal requirements related to higher education, such as SB810.
	A number of constraints exist when working with "out of the box" systems supporting registration and the schedule of classes, such as Banner or Peoplesoft software.
	Customization of existing interfaces used by records and registration can pose financial and technological barriers.

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