Dennis Michael Busch - Official Website
By Dennis Busch, collective opinion of the
University Journal Editorial Board
EDITORIAL: Bookstore 'no picture' rule unfair to students
Students coming back to school this semester were met with a new greeting when they went to scope out and purchase textbooks in the SUU Bookstore, and we think it sends the wrong message.
Signs instructed students not to take pictures of the books in the store.
A bookstore employee told the University Journal that the signs were put up to discourage students from getting the ISBN from the books.
The ISBN is a unique identifier that can be used by students to easily search for their books elsewhere, such as the Internet and other book retailers.
The bookstore has already removed ISBNs from its online book list, and this additional restriction further hinders students from being able to save money when purchasing their textbooks.
The bookstore has not added the “no pictures” rule to their policy, but an employee told the Journal that they could be fired if they assisted students in getting the ISBN.
The bookstore has added this procedure to protect their sales, and we understand their desire to do so.
As an auxiliary service at SUU, the bookstore must raise the money to pay its operational costs, including employees and renting their prime location in the Sharwan Smith Center.
That said, the University Journal Editorial Board thinks that because the only centralized list of required texts is run by the SUU Bookstore, it is unfair that the bookstore withholds relevant information that helps students purchase the books elsewhere.
If the bookstore is going to preclude students from taking photos of textbooks in their store, then the list of required texts needs to be administered by some academic department without a revenue-based operation.
The problems with textbooks has gotten so out of control that Congress has decided to take a stand to protect students.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act will require that schools that receive federal aid must “ … disclose, on the institution’s Internet course schedule and in a manner of the institution’s choosing, the International Standard Book Number and retail price information of required and recommended college textbooks and supplemental materials for each course listed in the institution’s course schedule …”
We think that it shouldn’t take federal legislation to require this minimal transparency and student-focused procedure at a state university, but starting July 1 it will be a requirement for schools to disclose the ISBN anyway.
We appreciate the work that bookstore employees do; they offer products, books and services that are convenient to have on campus.
However, in an economy where jobs continue to dwindle, tuition continues to climb and more students are coming to college, there must be an opportunity to get a better deal on their required textbooks — end of story.
Signs instructed students not to take pictures of the books in the store.
A bookstore employee told the University Journal that the signs were put up to discourage students from getting the ISBN from the books.
The ISBN is a unique identifier that can be used by students to easily search for their books elsewhere, such as the Internet and other book retailers.
The bookstore has already removed ISBNs from its online book list, and this additional restriction further hinders students from being able to save money when purchasing their textbooks.
The bookstore has not added the “no pictures” rule to their policy, but an employee told the Journal that they could be fired if they assisted students in getting the ISBN.
The bookstore has added this procedure to protect their sales, and we understand their desire to do so.
As an auxiliary service at SUU, the bookstore must raise the money to pay its operational costs, including employees and renting their prime location in the Sharwan Smith Center.
That said, the University Journal Editorial Board thinks that because the only centralized list of required texts is run by the SUU Bookstore, it is unfair that the bookstore withholds relevant information that helps students purchase the books elsewhere.
If the bookstore is going to preclude students from taking photos of textbooks in their store, then the list of required texts needs to be administered by some academic department without a revenue-based operation.
The problems with textbooks has gotten so out of control that Congress has decided to take a stand to protect students.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act will require that schools that receive federal aid must “ … disclose, on the institution’s Internet course schedule and in a manner of the institution’s choosing, the International Standard Book Number and retail price information of required and recommended college textbooks and supplemental materials for each course listed in the institution’s course schedule …”
We think that it shouldn’t take federal legislation to require this minimal transparency and student-focused procedure at a state university, but starting July 1 it will be a requirement for schools to disclose the ISBN anyway.
We appreciate the work that bookstore employees do; they offer products, books and services that are convenient to have on campus.
However, in an economy where jobs continue to dwindle, tuition continues to climb and more students are coming to college, there must be an opportunity to get a better deal on their required textbooks — end of story.
© 2010 Dennis Busch, University Journal
