For cheaper texts, student body tells faculty to act now

Prices students must pay to purchase textbooks increase when professors fail to submit their course requests for textbooks to the Portland State Bookstore before specified deadlines, according to student body President Rudy Soto.

Soto said there are fewer used textbooks available for students to purchase when professors procrastinate by not notifying the bookstore of which books they plan to use for the upcoming term.

Soto said that when the bookstore receives course requests late, fewer used books can be obtained, meaning more new books–which typically are more expensive–must be purchased in order to fill professors’ textbook requests.

As a result, the Associated Students of Portland State University have launched a campaign about the lack of course request forms being submitted as part of its effort to make textbooks more affordable for students.

To increase awareness about this issue, ASPSU has posted orange fliers around campus and distributed postcards, which students are encouraged to present to professors, with a reminder to meet course request deadlines.

“I don’t like the signage. It’s deeply offensive,” said Elisabeth Ceppi, chair of the English department. “I don’t like the notion, in any way, that students and faculty are in adversary roles.”

ASPSU has requested that professors submit their winter term course requests by Friday, Nov. 14.

“We’re trying to hold professors accountable by letting them know their role,” Soto said. “When students procrastinate, it affects their grades, and when professors procrastinate, it affects our pocketbooks.”

Ken Brown, president and CEO of the Portland State Bookstore, said that as of Nov. 13, faculty has submitted 887 of a projected 2015 course requests to the bookstore. The original deadline for winter term course requests was Oct. 15.

“Faculty hold the key to cost because they are the ones who control what we carry for a particular class,” Brown said. “It’s a huge issue in terms of economics.”

Brown said the more course requests the bookstore receives, the greater the ability to search for used books early, which is important due to the typically limited supply of used books available to purchase nationwide.

Brown said that when the bookstore does not receive course requests in a sufficient time frame, it makes it difficult to also administer textbook buybacks, where students are able to trade in their used books for money.

“If we know which books they are using for the next term, we can usually buy back up to 50 percent of the original price,” Brown said.

If the requests are not submitted in a timely manner, Brown said, textbooks will likely be bought back for only 20 to 30 percent of the original price. The amount decreases because the bookstore is unable to estimate how many of each book is necessary without the course requests, he said.

“The efficiency equation gets thrown off by not having the course requests,” Brown said. “If the bookstore is able to reduce cost, then discounts on textbooks and more scholarships are possible.”

Ceppi said professors are likely focused on their current courses and simply forget to request textbooks. The problem with course requests being submitted at insufficient times has not always been clearly presented to faculty, but Ceppi said she believes now that professors will likely meet the deadlines.

Gary Brodowicz, community health professor and president of the Portland State faculty union, said he is in favor of ASPSU’s efforts to increase awareness about the issue. Brodowicz said faculty are just overworked and have many tasks, so they forget about turning in course requests.

Brodowicz is already in the process of sending e-mail reminders to faculty, and Soto has made announcements at faculty senate meetings to heighten awareness.

In addition to the focus on pressuring professors to turn in course requests, Soto said ASPSU plans to work to get more professors to place textbooks on reserve at the library, promote a textbook exchange through the bookstore and advocate for legislation that reduces textbook prices.

Soto said he will follow up in subsequent terms by sending e-mails, speaking with department chairs and attending faculty senate meetings about professors meeting the deadlines for their course requests.