Early Book Orders Could Lower Prices

The Student Congress Select Committee on Textbook Pricing set an earlier deadline for professors to submit textbook orders, which officials say will allow students to receive more money during the book buyback period.

The deadline was set for Sept. 27, but the committee will set another target date next month for those who didn't meet the first deadline. In past years, the deadline for the spring semester textbook orders has been Dec. 1.

The textbook request form that professors are asked to complete informs Student Stores if the professor wants to reuse a textbook, buy a new one for the course or use a text that has not been used before.

This form allows Student Stores officials to know whether textbooks can be bought back from students to be used for the following semester. The forms also show officials what new books Student Stores needs to purchase.

John Jones, director of Student Stores, said that as professors have become aware of the textbook committee's proposal, they have been more willing to turn in their textbook orders faster.

"Thirty-three percent of the teachers turned in their course information this year by this time, compared to 22 percent from last year," he said.

Jones attributed the increase to a column by committee Chairwoman Jennifer Orr that ran in The Daily Tar Heel on Sept. 26 encouraging professors to meet the deadline.

"A lot of this had to do with the piece (Orr) put in the paper," he said. "Teachers read it and readily responded."

Kelly Hanner, processing assistant in the textbook department of Student Stores, talked to some professors who put in their orders Friday.

"Many teachers said they would have missed the request date if they hadn't read (Orr's) article in the paper last Thursday," she said. "They were encouraged by it to turn in their textbook request forms in time to help students with the buyback period."

Orr said she is pleased with the increase in forms submitted so far. She said her committee has planned several ways to educate faculty members on why it is important to turn in their textbook forms by the assigned deadlines.

"We are making a presentation to the Faculty Council on October 11 to explain the importance of the proposal so that they can spread the word to the faculty," Orr said. "We're also making personal phone calls and e-mailing teachers who didn't turn in their forms Friday to encourage them to submit a request form for their course textbooks as soon as possible."

Committee members are going to set a new deadline for the middle of November so Student Stores can call in the orders early enough to ensure that students will be able to receive more money in the buyback period, Orr said.

She stressed the importance of having the forms submitted early.

"Many teachers haven't realized the impact they will be making on students by submitting their textbook request forms in time so that Student Stores can guarantee resale of certain textbooks," Orr said.

"Those that do realize the impact on students or have recently learned about our proposal, however, made an effort to submit their textbook orders by the first deadline on Friday."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.