Editor’s Note:
The following article was sent from JSU Auxilary Services in response to a Jan. 26, 2012 commentary by Anna Baynham, “Textbooks to high?…Look at it this way
On January 1, 2010, Jackson State University made a commitment to address the nature of costly textbooks and supplemental course materials for its students by establishing a Textbook Advisory Committee. This Committee was given direct charge to address the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) and ensure that this institution remains in compliance with Section 133 of Federal HEOA Act and the Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) 616 Textbook Policy.
The HEOA was designed to reform the higher education system in an effort to operate in the best interests of students and their families. This Act calls for the disclosure of International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs), textbook prices and supplemental course materials for each course.
The purpose of this Act is to ensure students have access to affordable textbooks and supplemental course materials by decreasing costs and enhancing transparency and disclosure with respect to the selection, purchase, sale and use of course materials.
Effective July 1, 2010, IHL and JSU approved and implemented a Textbook Adoption Policy which serves as a user guide to aid all faculty members to adopt the most reasonable affordably priced and appropriate textbooks and supplemental course materials to achieve the objectives of any course. This Policy also encourages all colleges, universities and bookstores to work together to identify ways to decrease the cost of college textbooks and supplemental course materials while supporting the academic freedom of faculty members to select quality course materials for its students.
In addition, the JSU Bookstore launched its Rent-A-Text Program with more than 350 eligible titles, effective January 2011. The program has grown tremendously in one year and now more than 400 titles are eligible for rent. Rental sales have increased over 270%, during that same period, saving students more than $240,000. The JSU Bookstore has began offering digital textbooks (currently over 125 titles are available).
For more information on digital textbooks and for a free trial, students should visit www.cafescribe.com. For more information on college bookstore industry statistics, textbook costs, and other related information, students should visit www.nacs.org.
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