A University of Tennessee business and professional communication class applied what they have learned in the classroom over the past six weeks to a real world business and professional setting by presenting proposals to lower escalating prices of textbooks to a panel of faculty and administration members Monday night.
Bill Lockett, lecturer for the course, divided the class into “three teams to present one problem” and invited Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dean of Graduate Studies Anne Mayhew, communication studies lecturer Sharon Smith and UT Book and Supply Store director Mike Roos to be part of the panel.
“The association (National Association of College Stores) is looking for any ideas to provide educational material in the best way we can,” Roos said.
The students expressed concern that textbook prices have doubled over the past two years and make up a quarter of tuition. They conducted a UT survey that revealed 95 percent of students believe the majority of their expenses go to textbooks.
They noted that the only ones benefiting are the publishers, who don’t benefit until a new edition is released. So new editions are published every three years and often include the same material with unnecessary bundling, such as CD-ROMs and study guides that make the editions more expensive. Fifty-nine percent of students can’t find used texts.
Students proposed a renting system that has been successful at other universities. Every semester students would pay a rental fee, which could be added into tuition costs, and a deposit fee that would be refunded to them at the end of the semester. This option would reduce the price and buy back problems.
Another idea the students proposed was the introduction of new technology. The university could supply digital books that would lower publishing costs. Web sites like http://www.Safarix.com already have textbooks online, and the student survey said that 95 percent of students prefer an online option for using textbooks.
In response to the students’ proposals, the panel questioned the university’s ability to fund the renting system.
Roos said that the association has discussed the idea, and although it could generate money back into the university after a few semesters, a start-up plan would be very expensive.
Smith questioned students’ ability to read on-screen material for long periods of time. And Mayhew questioned copyright laws that would need consideration with the production of computer access to text.
“The future is online, but there has to be a vehicle to make available information, Roos said. Online information is quicker and more effective, but it will be a while. The best thing is to continue dialogue with the publication industry.”
