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Faculty Resource Hub
These pages are intended to serve as your source of truth for all things Course Materials.
Next Important Date: 8/18/26
Don't miss the upcoming adoptions deadline!
Please keep checking back here for the next relevant date.
| Tentative Key Dates | Fall Quarter | Winter Quarter | Spring Quarter | Summer Quarter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adoptions Open | 6/1/26 | 10/26/26 | 2/1/27 | 4/19/27 |
| Adoptions Due | 8/18/26 | 12/1/26 | 2/23/27 | 5/14/27 |
| First Day of Class | 9/23/26 | 1/5/27 | 3/30/27 | 6/21/27 |
These dates are not yet finalized and are subject to change.
Course Materials
Supporting full Academic Freedom means supporting a broad variety of educational tools and course material types. Below are some common models, types, and related terms that are worth exploring to ensure you're offering your students the strongest possible education.
Course Material Access Program (CAP) Models
| CAP Model | Description | Course Materials Access | Billing |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAP Complete |
CAP Complete is designed to ensure that students have day-one access to every required course material at the start of each term. It is an all-inclusive, access-first model for course material distribution. Students are automatically enrolled at the start of every quarter to ensure course material access but students have complete control over their enrollment status. For a flat quarterly fee of $249, including tax, required course materials are automatically identified, assigned, and distributed to students. This helps reduce access barriers and unnecessary stress at key points in the academic term. In addition to required course materials, CAP Complete may also cover certain consumable materials, such as art supply kits or lab equipment. Faculty may work with the Wildcat Shop to determine which materials can be included in CAP Complete. |
Comprehensive, including eligible consumables |
$249, including tax. Charged to the student account and payable with financial aid. |
| CAP Select |
CAP Select allows students to manage their course materials on an item-by-item basis. Depending on a student’s course load, purchasing or renting required materials individually may be less expensive than participating in the all-inclusive CAP Complete plan. CAP Select enrollment resets at the start of each quarter. Students may choose CAP Select in any quarter, and should review all required and optional course materials for that term before making their selection. Under CAP Select, students are responsible for confirming that all required course materials are accounted for and available to them. |
À la carte, paid per item |
Cost is based on the materials selected. Charged to the student account and payable with financial aid. |
| Opted Out |
Undergraduate students are automatically enrolled in CAP Complete each quarter to support comprehensive, day-one access to required course materials. Students may choose to provide for their course material needs independently by fully Opting Out of CAP. Once fully Opted Out, students are responsible for procuring all required course materials from vendors of their choice. Students manage their CAP enrollment status in Canvas, the campus-wide learning management system. |
Student is fully responsible for obtaining required course materials |
No CAP charge is applied. Student purchases materials directly and must pay with cash or card. |
Course Material Types
| Course Material Type | Description | Fulfillment |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Course Materials | Physical materials available for purchase, such as printed textbooks, lab manuals, or course packets. | Shipped to the student or available for pickup at the Wildcat Shop. |
| Coursepacks / Course Readers | Curated collections of readings compiled from multiple sources, often requiring copyright clearance. These may include articles, book chapters, case studies, or custom instructor-created content. | Shipped to the student or available for pickup at the Wildcat Shop, or provided digitally when appropriate. |
| Digital Materials | Any course content provided electronically, including eTextbooks, interactive courseware, LMS-integrated learning tools, or digital homework systems. | Delivered electronically through Bookshelf in Canvas. |
| Inclusive Access Materials | Digital materials delivered automatically to all enrolled students by the first day of class through an institutional access program. Students may opt out within a defined period. Pricing may be institutionally negotiated in some instances to reduce costs. | Delivered electronically through Bookshelf in Canvas. Physical goods will available for shipment or pickup. |
| eTextbooks | Digital versions of traditional print textbooks that students can access on laptops, tablets, e-readers, or phones. eTextbooks may include features such as search, highlighting, note-taking, and text-to-speech. | Delivered electronically through Bookshelf in Canvas. |
| Interactive Courseware | Digital learning platforms that combine instructional content with interactive activities, assessments, and automated feedback. These tools engage students through simulations, multimedia, adaptive practice, embedded quizzes, and other hands-on elements. | Accessed digitally through Canvas integrations. |
| Educational Technology (EdTech) | A broad grouping of platforms, applications, devices, and systems designed to improve instructional delivery, increase student engagement, streamline administrative tasks, and expand access to educational resources. | May be delivered through Canvas integrations, web platforms, installed software, or classroom hardware. |
| Digital Homework Systems | Online platforms that deliver, collect, and automatically assess student assignments. These systems often include interactive problem sets, adaptive learning pathways, instant feedback, and analytics. Examples include Pearson MyLab, Cengage MindTap, McGraw-Hill Connect, and WileyPLUS. | Delivered digitally, typically through Canvas integrations. |
| Open Educational Resources (OER) | Freely accessible teaching and learning materials with open licenses that allow reuse, adaptation, and redistribution. Examples include open textbooks, open modules, and faculty-created resources shared under a Creative Commons license. | Usually linked or embedded digitally in Canvas, though printable versions may also exist. |
| Library Licensed Materials | Scholarly books, textbooks, articles, or other academic materials for which the library procures licensed access for academic use. These are commonly available as eBooks, articles, or physical books. | Accessed through library systems, links, reserves, or physical checkout. |
| Open Access Resources (OA) | Openly available scholarly materials used in academic settings, generally related to research, including scholarly books and journal articles. These resources are available online at no cost and may sometimes be purchased in print at cost. | Accessed online through open web links, repositories, or publisher-hosted open access platforms. |
| Consumable Materials | Consumable items required for hands-on courses, such as sewing, art, or lab-based instruction. Examples include thread, needles, paint, and metals. | Available for shipment or pickup at the Wildcat Shop. |
| Durable Tools, Equipment, or Supplies | Tools used for labs or hands-on courses that are intended for repeated use. Examples include lab coats, safety goggles, scissors, soldering irons, and engineering instruments. | Available for shipment or pickup at the Wildcat Shop. |
| Device or Equipment | Hardware or specialized equipment students must have access to in order to participate in course activities. Examples include calculators, tablets, laptops, cameras, microphones, specialized measuring tools, or sewing machines. | May be student-purchased, borrowed, rented, or supplied through the department depending on the course. |
| Software | Applications or platforms students must install or access to complete coursework. Examples include R, Adobe Creative Cloud, programming environments, and proctoring software. | Accessed through institutional licensing, direct purchase, download, or web-based login. |
| Course Material Kits | Bundled sets of consumable material items assembled to support hands-on learning or specialized coursework. A kit typically contains multiple components packaged together so students can complete required activities without sourcing items individually. | Typically assembled and sold as a physical package for pickup or shipment. |
Related Terms
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Required | Materials that students must obtain to participate in and complete the course. These are essential for meeting learning outcomes. Examples include primary textbooks, access codes, lab manuals, or required software. |
| Optional | Materials suggested by the instructor to enhance understanding but not required for course completion. Students may choose to purchase them for additional support. |
| Learning Management System (LMS) | The digital platform used to deliver, manage, and track teaching and learning activities. It provides tools for instructors to create and organize course content, communicate with students, collect assignments, administer quizzes, and monitor progress. Central Washington University’s LMS is Canvas. |
| Tuition | The core instructional fee charged by the university for a student to enroll in and attend academic courses. |
| Course Fees | Additional charges applied to specific courses to cover the cost of materials, services, equipment, or experiences that go beyond what standard tuition supports. These fees are tied directly to the requirements of a particular course and apply only to students enrolled in that specific course. At CWU, these fees are fully described in Policy 202-06. |
Canvas, Bookshelf & Verba Collect
Canvas, VitalSource Bookshelf, and Verba Collect work together to remove friction from course setup and materials access - giving faculty a streamlined adoption process and ensuring students are ready to learn from day one.
At Central Washington University, several integrated systems work together to support effective teaching and learning while ensuring students have timely access to required course materials. Canvas serves as the University’s official learning management system and is the primary hub for course communication, assignments, grades, and instructional content. Faculty use Canvas to organize their courses, share materials, and create a consistent and accessible digital learning environment for students throughout the quarter.
Course materials adopted through the Wildcat Shop are often delivered digitally through VitalSource Bookshelf, a robust e-textbook platform that provides students with immediate access to their texts, frequently on or before the first day of class. Bookshelf supports access across multiple devices, offline reading, and a range of built-in tools such as highlighting, note-taking, search, and accessibility features, helping students engage more effectively with their course content.
Canvas and Bookshelf are designed to work together to create a seamless experience for both faculty and students. When instructors adopt materials that integrate with Canvas, students can access their digital textbooks directly from within their course site without the need for separate logins or access codes. This integration reduces barriers to access, minimizes confusion at the start of the term, and helps ensure all students are prepared to participate from day one.
Supporting this ecosystem is Verba Collect, CWU’s faculty adoption and course materials management system. Verba Collect allows instructors to review, select, and submit their textbook and course material adoptions in a centralized platform. Our How To Adopt page goes over this adoptions process in detail. Once submitted, this information flows to the Wildcat Shop and is used to coordinate sourcing, delivery, and, when applicable, integration with Canvas and VitalSource Bookshelf. Together, these systems streamline the adoption process, reduce administrative complexity, and uphold academic freedom while providing a reliable, student-centered approach to course materials at CWU.
Do your course material selections align with CWU's Mission & Values?
At CWU, we are committed to providing students with an education that is affordable, innovative, and student-focused. CWU Faculty directly support our university’s core values by focusing on:
Access & Affordability
Making education more cost-effective by reducing financial barriers
Academic Excellence
Ensuring every student has the materials they need to succeed
Student Success
Providing consistent, reliable access to learning resources to all undergraduate students
Innovation & Engagement
Leveraging digital-first strategies while supporting faculty’s diverse teaching styles
Additional Questions?
Our team at the Wildcat Shop is happy to help! Reach out to us by emailing textbooks@cwu.edu, calling us at 509-963-1311, or stop by the store and chat with us in person.
Education should be about learning—not stressing over textbooks and course materials.