SGA proposes textbook bill

Author: Liz Campbell

The Student Government Association (SGA) Senate voted unanimously on Sunday, Oct. 30, to support the Textbook Requisition Forms Legislation, to be enacted immediately. The bill, co-authored by Brainerd Commons Senator and visiting Tulane student Jennifer Bowen, Atwater Commons Senator Juana Thomas '09 and SGA Press Secretary Adam Irish '08.5 and co-sponsored by Bowen and Thomas, will seek to reduce the rising cost of textbooks by encouraging professors to submit their textbook requisition forms at an earlier date.

The issue, introduced by Irish several weeks ago, was one of the first to appear in SGA cabinet meetings this year. According to www.maketextbooksaffordable.com, students spend an average of $900 on books each year. A new textbook costs $102.44 on average, 58 percent more expensive than the average price of a used textbook, which is $64.80. However, nearly six out of 10 students who purchased books for the Fall 2003 semester were unable to find even one used book for their courses.

Upon consulting the Middlebury College Store, Irish, Bowen and Thomas found that dilatory textbook requisition forms represent one of the lesser-known determinants of such textbook price inflation, creating a significant and unnecessary burden for Middlebury students.

"By implementing this bill, we are trying to educate the faculty about the importance of turning in these forms in a timely fashion," emphasized Irish. "Bookstore staff has worked to educate the faculty about the problems caused by late requisition forms, but for some reason the message has not yet gotten across."

Professors must fill out textbook requisition forms in order to indicate to the College Store what books they need for future courses. According to these forms, the bookstore then assembles the necessary inventory for the following semester. However, in order for the bookstore to be most cost-effective in buying books, the forms must be turned in four months prior to the beginning of each semester. As the SGA found, a significant amount of these requisition forms are regularly not submitted by that time, meaning that the College Store cannot buy used books directly from students, will have a harder time finding additional used books since other colleges and universities provide competition, and thus must buy new and more expensive books.

Although many faculty members are unaware of this problem, it has clearly substantially exacerbated the price inflation of textbooks for Middlebury students. When requisition forms are submitted on time, students pay less for books and are able to sell them back for more. According to www.maketextbooksaffordable.com, students could potentially save $337.50 each year on textbooks.

The bill legislation reads, "In this seemingly benign act of late submission, the faculty unwittingly inflicts the student body with tremendous further financial encumbrances."

Irish remarked, "Dean [of Student Affairs] Ann Hanson spoke with a few professors who were aghast at the effects of the late forms and had no knowledge of the effects."

The bill recommends that the Faculty Council endorse a firm deadline of requisition form submission at least four months before the beginning of each semester. Thus, they would be due in May for the fall semester and late November or early December for the spring. Furthermore, it encourages the Council to consider allowing old editions of textbooks to be used in the same classes.

"The problem the bookstore faces is that publishing companies often make small changes to books - something as benign as changing chapter numbers - and some faculty members just don't understand that a new edition of a book is not necessary." Indeed, 76 percent of faculty nationwide reported that the new editions that they use are justified "never" to "half the time," while 40 percent report that they are "rarely" to "never justified."

Nonetheless, this new bill should diminish the financial burden that these late requisition forms present. The SGA is thus confident that, in the future, with better knowledge of these detrimental effects, faculty members will be much more accountable and organized in submitting these forms.

The College Store has also been instrumental in advocating the bill, providing recommendations and facilitating visibility of the problem. Irish commented, "I have been in constant communication with the book store staff, and they have been extremely helpful. The issue could not have surfaced without their assistance and support." Following the passage of this bill, the store will be responsible for calling department coordinators a week before the deadline to remind each department to submit its forms and to confirm which existing textbooks will be used again.

Georgia Best, assistant manager of the College Store, explained, "The bill is good for everybody. We would rather sell more books, and students will buy more books when they cost less."

Although there has been relatively little response to the bill since it has not yet been publicized, all parties involved, including faculty members, have responded very favorably. This bill represents only the first step towards the larger issue of reducing the increasingly heavy burden of textbook costs.

"We're always looking for ideas," commented Irish. "I hope that, in the future, more students will talk to the SGA about their own ideas to diminish this problem."