More professors meet order deadline this year

By Michelle Hagopian
April 18, 2008

(Click graphic to enlarge)

The deadline for instructors’ textbook requests came and went Tuesday, and so far more professors have turned in their requests this year compared with last year.

Student and Auxiliary Services spokeswoman Michelle Froese said in an e-mail that 1,504 requests were received by the deadline this year, compared with 911 in mid-April 2007.

Overall, she said, 3,490 requests were submitted for the fall semester last year.

Froese said receiving textbook requests helps the bookstore determine which books to buy back for resale.

“When faculty submit their textbook orders on time, it means that the bookstore can pay students 50 percent of new price if that book is being used again next semester,” Froese said.

For example, if a book request has not been submitted, students would receive wholesale price, which is up to 30 percent of the new price from the book company assisting with bookstore buyback.

If a student receives less than 50 percent of the new price at the buyback counter, that book is going to the wholesale book company for resale to other bookstores across the nation. If a student gets 50 percent back at the buyback counter, that book is going to University Bookstore, Froese said.

Phyllis Williams, Missouri Students Association Academic Affairs Committee chairwoman, said the committee passed an early textbook adoption campaign initiative, which encourages professors to submit requests that state which books they intend to use in their course curricula the following year.

She said anywhere from 28 to 33 percent of professors submit textbook requests on time every year. Usually, an additional 15 percent of professors submit after the deadline.

“Most of the time, professors don’t make it their priority to get forms in before the fall semester,” she said.

Williams said University Bookstore is willing to give students 50 percent back for books a professor selects by the early adoption deadline.

She said students often complain that they never use the books they pay large amounts for and are disappointed when they only receive 10 to 15 percent of their money during the buyback period.

Textbook orders submitted on time allow University Bookstore to source more used books and save freight costs, which returns more money to students, she said.

She said last-minute textbook orders are costly to students and to the university.

Michael Devaney, Faculty Council Student Affairs Committee chairman, said the council tries to get information to professors and students as quickly as possible.

“It affects students’ bottom line because these requests can reduce costs for going to school,” he said.

He said when professors submit their requests, the bookstore can inform the publisher to separate bundled items, which creates a separate price for each book.

“It makes it cheaper for students,” Devaney said.

Williams said so far the adoption campaign has reached its target audience.

“We’ve received feedback from students and professors saying and it seems successful,” she said.

She said there have been some minor problems. Professors voiced difficulty in locating the campaign on the bookstore’s Web site.

The bookstore does a yearlong campaign for textbook requests and often offers incentives for professors who submit their forms on time, Williams said.

She said the main goal of the campaign is to maximize the number of qualified books used in the fall semester.

“We’re trying to mobilize the student body since it affects us most,” Williams said.

She said textbook initiatives supported by MSA have been around for the past decade.

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More professors meet order deadline this year

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