National legislation proposed to lower textbook cost
Colorado student orgs follow suit
AARON HEDGE
Issue date: 9/25/07 Section: News
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In light of skyrocketing textbook costs, Colorado student organizations are following suit in a nation-wide legislative effort to lighten the load textbooks impose on student wallets.
The Associated Students of CSU (ASCSU) and the Associated Students of Colorado (ASC) began a letter-writing campaign this semester directed at state lawmakers pushing legislation requiring textbook to make textbook information transparent teachers and students.
CSU students have written and sent 227 over the letters to Sen. Steve Johnson, R. Fort Collins, over the past three weeks, said Dan Palmer, textbook efforts coordinator for ASCSU.
But Johnson said state lawmakers will be less concerned with textbook costs and focus on tuition.
"Frankly, I am a lot more concerned with the tuition increase the board of governors passed this summer, over 16.5 percent for residents," he said in an email message to the Collegian.
Price of textbooks increased 40% over the past five years - twice the rate of inflation, according to a 90-page U.S. Department of education report.
Several factors contribute to high textbook costs.
Students don't know what the costs are because publishers aren't required to disclose that information, said Gibson.
But Bruce Hildebrand, executive director of the Higher Education department at the Association of American Publishers disagrees. He said that there is concern among publishers that the market is too transparent.
He points out that if one Googles International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs), most numbers generate more than a million Web sites, which include information on book prices and content.
"How much transparency do you need?" he said. "(Publishers) have used the Internet to explode information to the public."
Another problem is bundling ¬- the inclusion of learning supplements like CDs and Internet ID cards with textbooks.
Bundling increases costs of textbooks by adding material that may not be used in class onto the price. Teachers order books and students purchase them, making it a "broken market," according to a 90-page U.S. Department of Education report.
The Associated Students of CSU (ASCSU) and the Associated Students of Colorado (ASC) began a letter-writing campaign this semester directed at state lawmakers pushing legislation requiring textbook to make textbook information transparent teachers and students.
CSU students have written and sent 227 over the letters to Sen. Steve Johnson, R. Fort Collins, over the past three weeks, said Dan Palmer, textbook efforts coordinator for ASCSU.
But Johnson said state lawmakers will be less concerned with textbook costs and focus on tuition.
"Frankly, I am a lot more concerned with the tuition increase the board of governors passed this summer, over 16.5 percent for residents," he said in an email message to the Collegian.
Price of textbooks increased 40% over the past five years - twice the rate of inflation, according to a 90-page U.S. Department of education report.
Several factors contribute to high textbook costs.
Students don't know what the costs are because publishers aren't required to disclose that information, said Gibson.
But Bruce Hildebrand, executive director of the Higher Education department at the Association of American Publishers disagrees. He said that there is concern among publishers that the market is too transparent.
He points out that if one Googles International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs), most numbers generate more than a million Web sites, which include information on book prices and content.
"How much transparency do you need?" he said. "(Publishers) have used the Internet to explode information to the public."
Another problem is bundling ¬- the inclusion of learning supplements like CDs and Internet ID cards with textbooks.
Bundling increases costs of textbooks by adding material that may not be used in class onto the price. Teachers order books and students purchase them, making it a "broken market," according to a 90-page U.S. Department of Education report.
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