In celebration of Open Education Week 2026, the Senate of College Councils and UT Libraries partnered to ask students to nominate instructors who have positively impacted their educational experience through their use of free or low-cost materials. We’ll be recognizing a few of our nominees this week as Affordable Education Champions! More information about this program can be found on our LibGuides page, as well as in our overview post about our 2026 Champions.
Today, we congratulate and thank Dr. Rebecca Gavillet, who was nominated by her students in MAN 336 in the McCombs School of Business Department of Management.
Dr. Rebecca Gavillet is Managing Director of Working Professional MBA Student Affairs and a Management instructor at The University of Texas at Austin, where she has spent more than a decade supporting student learning and success. She holds a Ph.D. in Education Leadership & Policy and has led major initiatives in curricular innovation, leadership education, and student engagement across multiple programs. Dr. Gavillet’s teaching and administrative work are grounded in collaboration, student-centered design, and a commitment to helping students thrive academically and professionally. She has overseen award‑winning leadership development programs, directed large-scale academic operations, and built community across multi-dimensional student populations. Outside the classroom, she is known for her enthusiasm for mentoring and her belief that education should be both rigorous and deeply human.
When asked what led her to select free and low-cost materials for her courses, Dr. Gavillet told us:
I chose free and affordable course materials because I’ve seen firsthand how cost can become an unnecessary barrier for students. As a student, I remember grappling with the high costs of course materials and textbooks. Students are balancing so much, and I wanted to remove anything that might get in the way of their learning. Once I realized there were high quality open resources similar to the ones I was already using, as well as library supported materials that aligned well with my course goals, it felt like an obvious shift.
When asked if she noticed a change in student response when shifting from more expensive course materials to free and low-cost materials, Dr. Gavillet responded:
Students appreciated having materials available at no or little cost, versus the more expensive textbook I previously used. It ensured everyone could engage with the content at the same pace. I also noticed an increase in preparedness for course discussions and activities. The decision reinforced my belief that affordability can directly support stronger academic engagement and a more cohesive classroom experience.
Finally, Dr. Gavillet provided the following advice to any instructors considering changing their courses to free and low-cost materials:
Start by identifying your course’s learning goals, then explore free, low cost, or library supported materials that map to those objectives. Additionally, you don’t have to replace all course materials at once. Try piloting a few open resources to understand what works best for your teaching style. Finally, partnering with your college/school’s librarian is invaluable. They often know what’s available through different sources and can help locate high quality alternatives. Keeping the student experience at the center of your decision-making models the human‑centered approach we hope our students will take with them beyond the classroom.
Guest post by: Audrey Waite, OER GRA
