During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) formed an Open Access Team to promote high-quality, open access materials. The team included a faculty coordinator, library liaison, student ambassador and part-time faculty as OER facilitators. They started by creating an OER logo, a web page, an email and a shared online space, forming a community.

In the following years, the team met regularly to advance OER courses. Pathway facilitators coordinated with deans and faculty, and the team leader offered OER courses for faculty. They also worked with other campus committees to promote OER. One facilitator became a communications coordinator, maintaining the OER website, campuswide communications, and a newsletter featuring MATC faculty and key opportunities.

With 55 classes already converted to OER, the initiative has saved students over $5 million in textbook costs in only three years.