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/equity2030/blog/images/z-degree-01.pngsite://minnstate/equity2030/blog/images/z-degree-01.pngminnstatez-degree-01.png163503400182Z-Degrees: Improving AccessZ-Degrees: Improving Access

Z-Degrees: Improving Access

By Kim Lynch, Associate Vice Chancellor for Educational Development and Technology
Michael Olesen, Interim System Director for Student Success Technologies

February 24, 2024

A decade ago, when textbook prices started to spike dramatically, Minnesota State began exploring a solution to help ease the cost to students and improve the classroom experience. The emergence of open educational resources (OER), openly licensed materials that faculty could make available to students at no cost, offered a promising alternative.

As a first step, Minnesota State partnered with the University of Minnesota’s Open Education Network to help introduce faculty to the potential of OER. At Central Lakes College, faculty quickly embraced that potential: In 2017, prior to the systemwide availability of Z-Degree funding through Minnesota State, Central Lakes become the first college in Minnesota to offer a Z-degree.

A Z-degree allows students to complete an associate or bachelor’s degree without paying for textbooks or course materials. Minnesota State Equity 2030 calls for closing the educational equity gaps across race and ethnicity, socioeconomic class, and geographic location by the year 2030. The Z-degree initiative helps Minnesota State move closer to that end in many ways – most obviously, by making college more affordable and, therefore, more accessible.

Almost a decade later, textbook and classroom material costs remain a concern. Eliminating the cost for textbooks and materials not only helps students who want to apply for college, it also helps students stay in college.  

Statistics support the challenges that students face when it comes to textbook costs. According to the Education Data Initiative, which collects data and statistics about the U.S. education system:

  • 25 percent of students reported they worked extra hours to pay for books.
  • 11 percent skipped meals to pay for books and course materials.
  • 65 percent of college students skipped buying textbooks because of the cost.

Since its start, the Z-degree initiative has grown, thanks in large part to funding and support from the Minnesota Legislature and the enthusiasm, innovation, and dedication of our faculty. We continue to offer and evolve professional development support for the initiative, including learning circles, short courses, and webinars that give faculty members a place to share best practices, opportunities, and challenges with one another.  

The savings to students are adding up quickly.

In the 2024 academic year, annual savings to students exceeded $3.1 million. Since the inception of the Z-degree initiative, the savings to 126,642 students totals $12.6 million. From 2020 to 2024, Minnesota State provided $625,000 and the Legislature allocated $1.95 million for the initiative, reaping a benefit to students of five times the investment.

The initiative also is helping lower-income students who receive financial assistance. Between fiscal years 2021 and 2024, 31 percent of Pell grant-eligible students took at least one Z-degree course, compared to 28 percent of students who were not eligible for Pell grants.

With an eye to the future, we recognize the importance of work to sustain and multiply the impact of Z-degrees, which includes improving accessibility for all and supporting Equity 2030.

The Z-degree impact continues to grow, with 10 Minnesota State colleges that offer Z-degrees, and 15 more colleges and universities on their way. For more information, visit Minnesota State Z-degree.