Bookstore prices investigated
Textbook costs for students can be reduced
Marlene C. Hurd
Issue date: 5/22/08 Last update: 5/25/08 at 12:40 PM PST
Section: News
On college campuses these days, textbook prices are one of the hottest topics.
Research conducted by the Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) and the U.S, Government Accountability Office (GAO) reveal that students are spending $900 per year for their textbooks. Decisions regarding the rising cost of textbooks have landed at the state level.
Linda Michalowski, Vice Chancellor for Student Services and Special Programs for the California Community Colleges system office presented recommendations before the California Community Colleges Board of Governors regarding reducing textbooks costs to promote student access and success during their May 2008 meeting.
One of those recommendations was to establish textbook adoption guidelines.
This semester at Laney College, students stood in long lines waiting to purchase their textbooks.
The Laney College Bookstore had under gone a transformation. Follett Higher Education Groups, Inc. the corporation contracted by the Peralta District to run the four colleges' bookstores, made some personnel changes at Laney.
Both Ed Schultz, the previous Laney College bookstore manager and Peggy Simmons, the most recent Laney Textbook Manager left after four and one-half years of being there. These were seasoned managers who were knowledgable regarding the textbook industry.
According to Peggy Simmons when the transition took place, "There was a lot of knowledge coming into the door who did not know the textbook industry which is very different than retail."
Another reason why students waited in such long lines was because textbook adoptions were not turned in on time by instructors and When this happens the bookstore can't order books to ensure that inventory is hand when students come to purchase them. Anya Lenore Pekarczyk the new Laney College Manager is working to avoid this from happening again next semester but Pekarczyk only has a core staff of eight personnel and six part timers. Pekarczyk's stated,"Our goal is to excel in customer service." However when Laney college instructor Dr. Frank S. Parigi requested an adoption of Walter Moseley's Red Death, Follett refused. Andrew Penner the new textbook manager at the time who transferred from UC Berkeley's Follett store has experience regarding the purchasing of textbooks and working with adoption requests. According to Pekarczyk, "The store constantly monitors what orders have been received through our Course Tracks management system and then follows up with departments and faculty to help secure the information that is needed. Communications sent to the store helps students play a major role in securing the information that is needed." Pekarczyk also stated, "The adoption form helps them to order from the publishers and prepare a book buyback list, start the search process for finding used text books." For the upcoming semesters the store is striving to have the right books in the right quantities on their shelves two weeks before the start of classes. While the goal is to ensure that book adoptions are turned in on time sometimes this deadline does not occur.
Research conducted by the Student Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) and the U.S, Government Accountability Office (GAO) reveal that students are spending $900 per year for their textbooks. Decisions regarding the rising cost of textbooks have landed at the state level.
Linda Michalowski, Vice Chancellor for Student Services and Special Programs for the California Community Colleges system office presented recommendations before the California Community Colleges Board of Governors regarding reducing textbooks costs to promote student access and success during their May 2008 meeting.
One of those recommendations was to establish textbook adoption guidelines.
This semester at Laney College, students stood in long lines waiting to purchase their textbooks.
The Laney College Bookstore had under gone a transformation. Follett Higher Education Groups, Inc. the corporation contracted by the Peralta District to run the four colleges' bookstores, made some personnel changes at Laney.
Both Ed Schultz, the previous Laney College bookstore manager and Peggy Simmons, the most recent Laney Textbook Manager left after four and one-half years of being there. These were seasoned managers who were knowledgable regarding the textbook industry.
According to Peggy Simmons when the transition took place, "There was a lot of knowledge coming into the door who did not know the textbook industry which is very different than retail."
Another reason why students waited in such long lines was because textbook adoptions were not turned in on time by instructors and When this happens the bookstore can't order books to ensure that inventory is hand when students come to purchase them. Anya Lenore Pekarczyk the new Laney College Manager is working to avoid this from happening again next semester but Pekarczyk only has a core staff of eight personnel and six part timers. Pekarczyk's stated,"Our goal is to excel in customer service." However when Laney college instructor Dr. Frank S. Parigi requested an adoption of Walter Moseley's Red Death, Follett refused. Andrew Penner the new textbook manager at the time who transferred from UC Berkeley's Follett store has experience regarding the purchasing of textbooks and working with adoption requests. According to Pekarczyk, "The store constantly monitors what orders have been received through our Course Tracks management system and then follows up with departments and faculty to help secure the information that is needed. Communications sent to the store helps students play a major role in securing the information that is needed." Pekarczyk also stated, "The adoption form helps them to order from the publishers and prepare a book buyback list, start the search process for finding used text books." For the upcoming semesters the store is striving to have the right books in the right quantities on their shelves two weeks before the start of classes. While the goal is to ensure that book adoptions are turned in on time sometimes this deadline does not occur.
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Peggy
Peggy Simmons
posted 5/28/08 @ 12:48 PM PST
I am glad to see discussion about textbooks and textbook pricing. There is a lot of mis-information that this article attempts to dispel, for which I am grateful. (Continued…)
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