FACULTY ADOPTIONS
The UCCS Campus Store is consistently working on improving the way students receive their materials and how faculty relays that information to us. Our partner in processing adoptions, is Akademos. Course material adoptions are required by law to be posted.
Textbook/Course Materials Deadlines
UCCS requires faculty to inform the UCCS Campus Store of all their course materials requirements including OER and "no requirement" by the following approximate due dates each term:
Important Adoption Deadline Dates
| Fall '26 Term | Spring '27 Term | Summer '26 Term |
|---|---|---|
| April 13th | October 26th | March 30st |
Please note: These are hard deadlines, as to give enough time to secure copies of materials.
What is TAAP?
What options do I have?
Faculty may choose physical, digital, or OER course materials—TAAP supports all formats. However, we strongly encourage selecting lower‑cost, digital materials whenever possible. Cost‑conscious adoptions help keep the TAAP fee affordable for participating students while also reducing out‑of‑pocket expenses for students who opt out, in addition to providing immediate access and a strong learning experience.
Physical Books
Physical textbooks remain an option, but they come with increasing challenges:
- Higher Cost: Physical books are generally more expensive for students and UCCS compared to digital equivalents.
- Limited Availability: Many publishers—such as Pearson Education, which has significantly reduced or eliminated print runs for many titles—no longer produce printed versions. This makes procurement difficult or impossible for certain texts.
- May Not Qualify for TAAP: If a printed title is out of print or unavailable, it cannot be included in TAAP. A different edition, alternate title, or digital version may be required.
- Delays: Physical production and shipping introduce potential delays, especially with late adoptions, which may result in students starting courses without access to required materials.
Digital Materials (Recommended)
Digital materials are the preferred format for most students. Incoming college students — particularly Gen Z digital natives — have grown up with digital tools and educational technology throughout K-12, developing a baseline of experience with digital workflows that carries into their expectations and use of digital course materials in college [3,4].
Source: Inside Higher Ed
Source: New America
Source: Bay View Analytics
Source: Article
Digital materials offer significant advantages:
- Instant Access: Students receive immediate access via Canvas—no waiting, no shipping delays, no risk of stock shortages. They are portable and convenient.
- Consistent Learning Experience: Most incoming freshmen have used digital learning tools throughout K–12. Selecting digital materials provides a seamless transition into college coursework.
- Enhanced Learning Tools: Digital options can include integrated courseware, self‑grading quizzes, embedded multimedia, and adaptive learning features that increase engagement and improve outcomes.
- Faculty Insights: Many digital platforms provide engagement analytics, allowing faculty to see student progress, time on task, and participation indicators.
- Guaranteed TAAP Compatibility: Digital editions are almost always available for TAAP, ensuring full student access and cost transparency.
- Accessibility Features: Text-to-speech, adjustable fonts, contrast settings.
How do I get an Instructors Copy?
You will have to contact the publisher directly to get an instructor's copy of a title. If you use digital materials you will have access to the material through Canvas.
What Do I need to do?
Get your adoption in ASAP. As you can see the deadlines are early. If materals are not entered they will not be part of TAAP.
If using digital material make sure you have the VitalSource Tool enabled on your course Canvas page. Here are the steps to do this if needed:
Yes. Students can choose to TAAP out if they like, though we strongly encourage everyone to take advantage of this program because it offers discounted course materials with the benefit of students being ready for their classes on the first day. To TAAP out, students visit the website and log in with their university account. From there, they will see an option to TAAP out. Please note, students will be responsible for obtaining their course materials on their own if they decide to TAAP out. UCCS will not have required course materials for sale at The UCCS Campus Store. *Students who TAAP out of TAAP will have the option to order some or all course materials from the website with standard payment options (credit card, debit card, ApplePay, GooglePay, and PayPal).
Where should I send students if they need support?
Need support? Visit Akademos Support. Through that page students can use the dynamic help tool to answer their questions or they can call or email our Learner Experience team.
Is TAAP University wide?
Yes. All students at UCCS are members of TAAP, including online students. Students with Special Account Scholarships, such as VA/VOC, Kane, State VOC, TAA, etc., will receive further information on how TAAP works with their sponsor. Courses excluded from TAAP: Extended Studies, Capstone, Clinical, Cooperative, Dissertation, Independent Study, Internship, Master's Project, Master's Thesis, Practicum, and Research. These courses will not be included in TAAP, and materials for these courses will not be automatically provided. Materials used for these courses will still be listed on the online bookstore website, and students can purchase these online outside of TAAP.
Where do I find Publisher support for Courseware Materials?
For Cengage titles: Cengage UCCS Course Page.
For McGraw Connect title: McGraw Connect Support.
For Macmillan Learning Support:Macmillan Learning Support - Achieve.