Championing Access: UIndy Professors Earn PALSave Open Educator Award

Dr. Amanda Miller, professor of sociology, and Dr. Greg Shufeldt, associate professor of political science, have been named recipients of the 2025 PALSave Open Educator Award.

The annual award, presented by the Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI), recognizes innovation and excellence in support of higher education, textbook affordability, and student success.

“We are extremely proud to recognize this year’s Open Educator Award honorees,” said Amanda Hurford, PALNI Scholarly Communications Director. “High textbook costs continue to be a barrier to education, yet these individuals—and the libraries that support them—work tirelessly to make course materials accessible to all students. With each of PALNI’s 23 supported libraries partnering with faculty through PALSave, they are reshaping the educational landscape together, ensuring that every student, regardless of circumstance, can learn, thrive, and succeed. Our libraries have built a strong community of champions for affordable learning, and we’re excited to see their efforts continue to benefit students now and well into the future.”

Miller and Shufeldt are among just ten faculty members from PALNI-supported institutions to receive the award this year. As part of the PALSave: PALNI Affordable Learning Program, they have played a pivotal role in creating and adopting Open Educational Resources (OER), a move that reduces costs for students, expands access to course materials, and supports student success and retention.

“Using OER in the classroom is wonderful because it ensures access for everyone—but it’s also a lot more fun for my students and me!” said Dr. Miller. “Without worrying about costs, we can explore a wide range of materials, from open textbooks and library resources to long-form articles and current news stories.”

“In a democracy, decisions are made by those who show up,” Dr. Shufeldt said. “Political scientist E.E. Schattschneider famously wrote that ‘the flaw in the pluralist heaven is that the heavenly chorus sings with a strong upper-class accent.’ Unfortunately, the rising costs of college and textbooks can deepen that inequality. A college education should be a great equalizer—equipping citizens with the knowledge and skills to be informed, engaged participants in our democracy. By creating an OER textbook with my colleague Dr. Laura Merrifield Wilson, we’re helping put valuable information into the hands of students ready to make meaningful social change.”

Their recognition reflects the University of Indianapolis’s ongoing commitment to academic innovation and removing barriers to student success.