Senate committee attempting publish book lists

Long lines at the bookstore during the first week of class could be a thing of the past if two senator's efforts to distribute book lists in advance are successful.

Currently, many classes' book lists are not available to students until the first day of classes, which limits options for purchasing textbooks. Students sometimes find that ordering books online -- the primary alternative to buying them in the bookstore -- is problematic because of the length of delivery times.

In an attempt to provide students with more options, Senators Schwartzberg and John Valentine have proposed a plan to release book listings for every class during the registration period, several months before classes begin. They hope to start distributing the list next year.

"The student need [for a new system] is present, and it is our obligation to pursue the need," Valentine said.

Currently, the list of books is provided exclusively to the bookstore, which solicits the names of texts from faculty members.

After a meeting with Executive Administrative Dean Wayne Bouchard, the senators considered asking the bookstore for the book list.

"The bookstore is unfairly profiting from information that should be made public," Schwartzberg added. "My goal is to liberate that information."

The plan, however, was derailed by Patti Lee Klos, the Director of Dining and Business Services and who is responsible for the bookstore's contract. She said that requiring the bookstore to share the list would violate the University's contract with Barnes & Noble, which operates the store. "In return for providing bookstore services [the bookstore] has exclusive rights to this list... and should not be expected to share it," Klos said.

Klos suggested improving the book situation by focusing on professor's participation in the adoption process.

"If professors sent [the lists] in promptly, the bookstore would be able to buy many more books back," Klos explained, referring to the program whereby students can sell their books back to the bookstore at the end of the semester. When professors request a book for the next semester, the bookstore pays students 50 percent of the original sale price during the buyback period. If the book will not be used the next semester or if a professor has not yet requested it, the bookstore buys to book at "the latest national pricing," which is usually significantly lower.

After learning about the contractual hurdle, Schwartzberg proposed that members of the senate generate the list by speaking directly with the professors.

"[This plan] is based on the student-professor relationship," he said. "Essentially there's no way a bookstore contract with the school should impact that."

Senator John Valentine said the project was focused on the way the information will allow students to make independent decisions about when and where to purchase their books.

"Granted, the bookstore would be losing some revenue as more students would be getting their books online, but they as of now have a pseudo-monopoly," he said.