Textbook Buy-Back Will Be Easier

The efforts of Student Congress' Select Committee on Textbook Pricing spurred 80 percent of all professors to submit the request forms by the Dec. 1 deadline, said Kelly Hanner, processing assistant in the textbook department of Student Stores.

Jennifer Orr, chairwoman of the committee, said 65 percent of all professors requested textbooks by the deadline last year.

"(The committee's) personal goal was 75 percent," she said. "We met and surpassed our goal, so we're very excited."

The increased number of professors who submitted the request forms on or before the deadline has allowed Student Stores to order more textbooks for next semester at an early date, Hanner said.

Student Stores first tries to buy used textbooks from wholesalers, but there is only a limited number available, she said.

Because more professors submitted early their textbook requests for next semester, Student Stores has been able to buy more used books.

It can sell these books to students at a lower price than new books, Orr said.

She also said more students will be able to sell used textbooks to Student Stores when the buy-back period begins Saturday because officials are more certain of which textbooks they can resell next semester.

"The prices of the (individual) books won't change, but Student Stores will be buying more used books," Orr said.

Because students benefit greatly when professors submit textbook requests on or before the deadline, the committee will continue to work next semester to improve the percentage of professors that complies with the deadline, Orr said.

"(This semester) there were many technical and logistical problems that didn't let (other professors) submit the requests," she said.

The committee tried to contact all professors personally through e-mail, but many listed e-mail addresses are out-of-date, Orr said.

Also, many classes are listed as taught by "staff" instead of by a professor, so it was impossible to contact professors of those classes personally, she said.

The committee will try to work with University officials to remedy these problems next semester, but committee members nonetheless are happy with the results of their work in the fall semester, Orr said.

"One hundred percent compliance will never be established," she said. "But we can strive to get closer next semester."

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