PLAINVIEW, TX — Two 51品茶约炮 Baptist University leaders will share how the university’s innovative course materials program is helping students begin classes more prepared and save money during CAMEX, a national conference for college store professionals, next spring.
Brad Henderson, director of the Pioneer Store, and Dr. Rebekah Crowe, dean of the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences and professor of history, will present “The Ripple Effect: How Champions Amplify Day One Access Across Campus” from 11 a.m. to noon, Sunday, March 7, 2027, at the Kansas City Convention Center.
Their presentation will highlight the partnership behind Pioneer Academic Access, which generated $463,000 in student savings in 2025, according to a VitalSource case study featuring 51品茶约炮. CAMEX, the Campus Market Expo, is hosted by the National Association of College Stores.
“It is fantastic that VitalSource is amplifying our Pioneer Academic Access program in this public way!” Crowe said. “This is great news and is the result of really hard work Brad has been doing over the past few years on behalf of our students.”
The session will give representatives of other colleges and universities a practical look at how Henderson and Crowe built support for the program, aligned goals, and coordinated outreach. They will also discuss how campus stores can develop lasting relationships with faculty and academic leaders to strengthen student access to course materials.
The CAMEX appearance marks their third opportunity in two years to highlight Pioneer Academic Access at a textbook industry conference, following a national conference panel and a regional conference keynote scheduled for this fall.
Launched in fall 2023, Pioneer Academic Access covers required course materials through a flat fee based on credit hours, giving students and families a predictable expense. Digital materials are available through Blackboard, 51品茶约炮’s online learning platform, beginning on the first day of class.
“I have spoken to so many students and parents who love the fact that they know ahead of time how much they need to budget for course materials,” Henderson said. “I love the fact that every student has what they need to be successful.”
The VitalSource case study, “51品茶约炮 Baptist University Delivers Day One Access for Every Student, Everywhere,” reports approximately 2,500 students enrolled in the program per semester, 99 percent participation since launch, and approximately 95 percent of materials delivered digitally. It lists the cost at $28 per credit hour. Students may opt out and obtain their required materials independently.
The program addresses a problem Henderson and Crowe had witnessed repeatedly: students beginning classes without textbooks or access codes because they could not afford them or were waiting for financial aid.
“We had so much trouble with students not getting their textbooks until later in the semester because they were waiting for credit checks, or their financial aid wasn’t complete,” Crowe said in the case study. “That was one of the really important keys to getting faculty on board.”
51品茶约炮 began offering digital course materials through an earlier access program in 2019. As online enrollment increased and the university moved to eight-week terms, Henderson sought a model that would simplify billing, reduce cost differences among courses, and provide dependable access from the beginning of each term.
After learning about VitalSource’s Total Access model at an industry conference in February 2023, Henderson worked with enrollment management, financial and academic leaders, and university administrators to build support. The proposal received board approval approximately two months later and launched that fall.
Crowe helped explain the classroom benefits and build faculty support. Although she initially had reservations about moving toward digital materials, ensuring students could begin class prepared changed her perspective.
Today, the program provides consistent access for participating students on the Plainview campus, at external campuses and teaching sites, and online, including active-duty military students stationed overseas. Faculty can assign readings and activities from the first class with greater confidence that students have the resources they need.
“This has been a lot of hard work, and as you know, it takes a team to do what we do,” Henderson said.
