Student organizations are an invaluable resource when it comes to connecting students with Open Access. Every additional network of students that a new organization brings to the coalition is a great opportunity to both raise awareness of Open Access and get students involved in changing the system.
Here’s what you can do:
Join the Coalition
- Sign the Student Statement on the Right to Research.
- If you need to pass a resolution to endorse the Student Statement, customize our standard student resolution.
Advocate Nationally
- When action alerts are issued, issue a statement on behalf of your student organization. Contact legislators to communicate your view of the issue, and ask your members to do the same. (Join the SPARC Advocacy email list to receive alerts).
Advocate through your organization
- Include information about Open Access in your newsletter or mailing list.
- Include a panel about Open Access in the program at your annual conference. Contact SPARC for speaker recommendations.
- Encourage your chapters to lobby for Open Access on their campus by urging their student government to sign the Student Statement or asking their university administration to adopt Open Access policies.
If you fund student research grants...
- If you fund research grants for students, adopt a policy encouraging grant recipients to make their research Open Access.
- If you fund student conferences that have research poster sessions or research paper sessions, adopt a policy encouraging funded conferences to make those posters and papers Open Access.
Get your peers involved
- If your organization has connections to other student groups, urge them to support Open Access.