University of Colorado Student Union

Legislative Council

 

October 14, 2004                                                                                            61LCR#5 Textbooks

 

Sponsored by:                          Joseph Neguse                                                 Tri-Executive

                                                Veronica Crespin                                              Tri-Executive

                                                Garrett Stanton                                     Tri-Executive

                                                Stephen Fenberg                                              2nd Vice President

                                                Travis Fawcett                                                  Representative At Large

                                                Eugene Pearson                                                Legislative Council President

 

 

Authored by:                            Kendall Smith                                                   CoPIRG Organizer

                                                Jeannie Duncan                                     CoPIRG Volunteer

 

 

A Resolution

Resolution History

 

According to a survey by the Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG), students had spent an average of $898 per year on textbooks in the 2003-04 school year, or almost 20 percent of the cost of in-state fees.  In contrast, a 1997 University of California survey found that students spent an average of $642 on textbooks in 1996-97.  This drastic increase in textbook prices over the last 7 years is intolerable.  Textbook publishers use and have used gimmicks to increase the price of textbooks.  In some cases they have added “bells and whistles” to textbooks – such as CD-ROMs and workbooks that over 65% of faculty surveyed at UC schools say they “rarely” or “never” use.  Textbook publishers put new editions on the market frequently – often with few content changes – making the less expensive used editions obsolete and unavailable.  This is all done at a time when tuition and other college costs are rising, thus putting an unfair burden upon students.

 

Resolution Summary

 

WHEREAS:   Students had spent an average of $898 per year on textbooks in the 2003-04 school year, in contrast to $642 on textbooks in 1996-97; and

 

WHEREAS:   Textbook publishers use gimmicks to increase the price of textbooks; and

 

WHEREAS:   Textbook publishers add unnecessary additions to textbooks – such as CD-ROMs and workbooks that over 65% of faculty surveyed at UC schools say they “rarely” or “never” use; and

 

WHEREAS:   Textbook publishers put new editions on the market frequently – often with few content changes – making the less expensive used editions obsolete and unavailable; and

 

WHEREAS:   Textbook publishers are unfairly charging students at a time when tuition and other college costs are rising.

 

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislative Council of the University of Colorado Student Union, THAT,

 

SECTION 1:  UCSU calls upon college textbook publishers to adopt the following practices:

A: To keep the cost of producing textbooks as low as possible without sacrificing educational content;

B: To give faculty and students the option of buying textbooks separately, without additional bells and whistles;

C: To keep textbook editions on the market as long as possible without sacrificing the educational content.

D: To give preference to paper or on-line supplements to current editions over producing entirely new editions. 

E: To pass on cost-savings to students once purely online textbooks are on the market;

F: To disclose with faculty members all of the different products they sell - including both bundled and unbundled options, list how much each of those products cost, the length of time they intend to produce the current edition, and how the newest edition is different from the previous edition;

 

SECTION 2:  UCSU calls upon faculty to both give preference to the least cost textbook option when the educational content is equal and to press publishers to adopt the above practices;

 

SECTION 3:  UCSU calls upon the University to encourage as many forums for students to purchase used books as possible, including rental programs and book swaps.

 

SECTION 4:  UCSU will forward a copy of this resolution to the following parties: the Association of American Publishers, Chancellor Richard L. Byyny, M.D, the Boulder Faculty Assembly, the Deans at CU Boulder, the Arts and Sciences Council, the Campus Press, the Colorado Daily, and CoPIRG.

 

 

 

Addresses:

Association of American Publishers

Attn: Pat Schroeder

50 F St., NW

Washington, DC  20001-1530

202-347-3375

jplatt@publishers.org

 

CoPIRG

1530 Blake Street, Suite 220

Denver, CO 80202

303-573-7474

info@copirg.org

www.copirg.org

__________________________________________________________________________________________

10/14/04                                                          Passed                                                             13-0-0

10/21/04                                                          Passed                                                             15-0-0