Editorial:
Faculty should make textbooks cheaper for students
Published Oct. 14, 2008
As college students with little excess cash and a lot of textbooks to buy, we couldn't be happier that the Course Materials Advisory Committee has begun work to ensure faculty members turn in their textbook requests on time this year. If professors turn in lists of their necessary class materials by the Oct. 31 deadline, the bookstore can order or buy back more inexpensive, used textbooks, significantly cutting costs for students.
In the past, the number of professors who do turn in their forms on time has been miserable. We hope that the work of the committee will remedy that issue.
We've asked time and time again for faculty members to turn in these requests in a timely manner, and we're asking yet again. But now, thanks to a letter drafted by the committee, faculty members have a concrete list of statistics showing how much money students save as a result of professors turning in requests on time and explanations of how it benefits both the student body and faculty members. With all of this information readily available, professors should find that students saving money on their textbooks is a win-win situation for everyone at MU.
The benefits for students are obvious. As for professors, if the materials for their courses cost more than those of other classes because they failed to turn in their requests on time, fewer students are likely to register for their sections.
If helping out the student body isn't sufficient for professors, increasing enrollment in their own classes is a more personal incentive.
But not all professors will make request submissions a priority, so it's our job as students to make sure they know the deadline and follow it. So, students, personally go speak to each of your professors. Ask if they've sent in their textbook requests for next semester, and if they have, say thanks. If they haven't, explain that you and other students can save serious amounts of dough if they do. Remind them about the Oct. 31 deadline as it draws closer, and feel free to continue reminding them until they say that yes, they have finally turned their forms in.
And along with that, inform other students about the policy. Explain that if they also work to convince their professors to turn everything in on time, everyone benefits. Tell your friends and your classmates; ask professors to speak before class in lectures; spread the word through Facebook notes and mass texts and really, do whatever you can to make sure everyone knows how important the Oct. 31 deadline is. It could save you, individually, hundreds of dollars per semester.
And as for the Course Materials Advisory Committee, we hope that members continue their work in really making this happen this year. We appreciate their efforts so far, and we hope that they make progress on their other goals as well, especially implementing the Textbook Rental buyback pilot program for large lecture classes. The rental buyback program could also save us as students hundreds of dollars, especially on books for classes most people have to take as part of their general education requirements.
But for now, let's focus on Oct. 31.
Students, spread the word to all faculty members. And faculty members, make this year the one where you make a difference not only in the minds of students, but in our wallets as well.
