49er Shops, Inc. bookstore director Fred Neely proposed the program at last Wednesday’s Senate meeting, saying that similar programs at CSU Fullerton and San Diego State nearly halved the cost of books for students. The program would rent out high-demand textbooks based on enrollment numbers, and would only cost students 40 percent of the full price.
Saying that some textbooks are updated with new editions every year, Faculty Representative and Music Professor Lee Vail criticized that program directors will have to look at books that are subject to remaining constant for at least a two year period, and called the program “limited in it’s scope.”
“I’m all for the lowest price as long as it doesn’t effect or take away from a quality education,” said Assistant Dean of Students Jeane Caveness. “There are faculty who are stressing this right now and are sympathetic, but also had some concerns that getting the least expensive textbooks and getting them here on time also is a problem with the bookstore.”
The discussion also addressed problems with damage fees, “dual-semester” rentals and number of upper division books offered. The proposal will be discussed in next week’s meeting, and Vice President Chris Chavez suggested the formation of an audit committee for the program proposal.
ASI Treasurer Brian Troutner, who reviewed the textbook program proposal also thanked the Senate for fundraising efforts for an extension of the U-Pass. Troutner, who has been working with university administration and the Long Beach Transit to extend the program, announced that there would be a joint announcement from administrators and transit officials at the bus terminal in front of Brotman Hall Thursday at 10 a.m.
Also discussed were proposed revisions to the General Writing Assessment Requirement, or GWAR. University GWAR Coordinator Linda Sarbo appealed to senators to support the suggested reforms to Cal State Long Beach’s GWAR fulfillment, the Writing Proficiency Evaluation, at the next Academic Senate meetings. They include changes to advisement requirements for GWAR and administrative policy changes.