A national interest group dedicated to higher education research is calling on publishers to lower costs of textbooks to prevent students from spending unreasonable prices on necessary texts, according to a recent study conducted by the Washington, D.C., based State Public Interest Research Group.
The PIRG’s report produced from this study, “Ripoff 101,” is part of a higher education study, and was presented to the U.S. Congress in November. It is based on surveys taken from students and faculty at 10 public universities in California and Oregon last fall.
“Ripoff 101” estimates that most public university students will have spent nearly $900 on textbooks during the 2003-2004 school year.
The report compared this figure with the average cost of textbooks in the 1997-1998 school year, which was estimated at $647, concluding that textbook prices have risen 35.1 percent over the last seven years.
“The publishing industry is getting away with charging more than they should be,” Kate Rube, higher education associate with the State PIRG, said.
Rube also pointed back to the report, saying that the cost spent on textbooks for this year represents close to 20 percent of the amount spent for tuition at the average in-state public university.
Since the cost of higher education is continually rising, the report said, the cost of textbooks has come under intense scrutiny.
Rube clarified, however, that the mention of tuition in the report does not necessitate a link between textbook and tuition costs.
“Textbooks have always been expensive, and because tuition has been increasing at such a rapid rate many jump to the conclusion that the two are connected, but we have no evidence of that,” she said.
The report cited several reasons that textbook costs are increasing at such an alarming level, but it continually pointed back to one primary origin.
“The high cost is primarily due to publishers producing new editions like clockwork, regardless of how much new educational content exists, and including expensive ‘bells and whistles,’ such as compact discs, that professors rarely find useful.
“The more expensive new editions force the older, less-expensive editions off the market,” the report stated.
“Most of the time, there are only small and insignificant changes made to old editions… a sentence here, a chart there. None of it really makes a huge difference in educational worth.”
Rube expanded the list of bells and whistles to include books bundled with software, supplementary study guides and solution manuals.
“The majority of faculty rarely use these and don’t even want the extras,” she added.
To solve this financial burden, the State PIRG and members of Congress have proposed several solutions, both to the publishing companies and the students.
“Publishers should make every effort to keep the cost low by offering separate supplementary materials, keeping editions on the market as long as possible and exploring putting texts online,” Rube said.
United States Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., even proposed making up to $1,000 in textbook purchases tax-deductible.
In addition, there are a variety of things that students can do to help themselves.
Some ideas that Rube suggests are checking online to see if they can find a bundled book without the extra materials, checking with professors to see if older editions of textbooks are permissible and searching the local area for stores that sell used textbooks.
“Professors will usually understand a student’s request,” Rube said, “and used books are very often quite less expensive than their newer counterparts.”
Several textbooks used by students at UT are available used through both the campus book store and Rocky Top Books on the Strip as well as various other stores.
For example, the book for Math 141 and 142, “Calculus: Concepts and Contexts” can be found at Rocky Top Books new for $124.95 and used for $93.75. The same book can be purchased at the UT Book and Supply Store for $134.50 new and $100.85 used.
Currently, “Western Civilization: Volume II, 5th Edition” is used by History 242 students for most classes. This book, which averaged $70 at both stores for a new copy, can be found in its 4th edition online at Amazon’s Web site for $45.
Shopping around may be the best option, Rube said, adding that anything students can do to reduce the high cost of education is always the best option.
“Too many college students are already struggling to afford a college education. Unfortunately, the textbook industry’s practices only create additional hurdles for those who have difficulty in paying for higher education,” she added.
Students interested in reading the full report can do so at http://www.pirg.org/highered.
