Comments on: The incentivized university

By: Historiann

Historiann — Mon, 05 May 2008 04:09:14 +0000

Yes, I’m aware that some faculty sell their unwanted, unsolicited books. Some faculty I know do it. I never have. However, I think that textbook companies should target their marketing more effectively, instead of expecting faculty to unwrap their books and re-package them for shipment. I don’t really have time or any interest in unwrapping and re-wrapping their books. And, I never did anything to get on anyone’s mailing list aside from ordering books for classes.

Around mid-semester, the piles of textbooks in their cardboard boxes totally engulf the mailroom in my department. I say cut the waste where it originates, rather than spending money and burning oil to ship books to and from. (And I’ve never heard of a textbook company offering to send me a box or envelope to return their books.)

By: Anti-hypocrisy advocate

Anti-hypocrisy advocate — Mon, 05 May 2008 03:56:56 +0000

Those “free” examination copies do indeed raise the price of the textbook to the student. But is the reader aware of a practice far more reprehensible than the student sell-back?

It’s the faculty sell-back — to jobbers who come to campus to buy those “free” examination copies from the faculty. Yes, the faculty are making bucks (not big bucks, but bucks nonetheless) and raising the cost of books at the same time.

Hint: Almost every textbook publisher would be pleased to send an instructor a free postage-paid label for the return of un-needed examination copies.

But that’s just too hard for many faculty. Far better to raise the cost of the textbook for the student — and make a few bucks besides….

By: Baudrillard's Bastard

Baudrillard's Bastard — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:14:36 +0000

education as a waste product…

The state university is in ruins, the mass university is in ruins, and the university as a privileged place of the national culture is in ruins. — Alberto De Nicola and Gigi Roggero …

By: Indyanna

Indyanna — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:08:07 +0000

Note also the Taco Bell tie-in. Cross-branding and multi-platforming (or is it cross-platforming and multi-branding?) are the ubiquitous partners of campus incentivity. I wonder if T-B has a program for buying back “used” meals, however? A very prominent early American women’s historian and lead author on a U.S. History textbook once told me that every third year belonged to the company, for revising purposes, but that it did pay for a very nice summer house in a prominent location. Carrying around your college books does suck, but it used to perform the work of building character. For a decade or so after graduation I was in a de facto ten or twelve person moving collective. Everyone moved maybe every eighteen months, and everyone helped everyone else. This meant that that treasured copy of Steppenwolf (or whatever) was forever being boxed and unboxed with hundreds of its neighbors and hauled from place to place, to testify to the literate and maybe even literary status of its owners. When the legs and back begin to give out, this practice finally stops!

By: Historiann

Historiann — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:23:40 +0000

Rachel–yes, book buy-back is a total ripoff. But, if you hated HIST 150 and you can get $2 instead of hauling around a book you never read and will never read for the rest of your life, you’d take it. In Fort Collins, $2 will buy you a cheap beer (or half a decent beer) in a bar.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:04:51 +0000

What really astounds me is that students sell their very expensive books back for mere pennies- and they can’t wait to do it. The buy-back value does not even come close to what they initially bought the books for- even used. Usually these books are political science, history, philosophy… liberal arts in general. I guess I’m one of those weirdo’s who has kept every single book since freshman year of u-grad. Although, the books I have tried to sell back, like math and science, I couldn’t because they come out with a new addition every year for those kinds of books (they probably only change a few words too and slap on a new pretty picture on the cover).

Oh, historiann please don’t start assigning Barnes and Noble history. I like to think for myself.

By: Historiann

Historiann — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:58:22 +0000

Nicole–I’m so glad you have found your books useful! (How strange: to think that I traffic in useful information…)

And Geoff–thanks for stopping by to comment. I think you’re right that it’s a vicious cycle. Friends of mine who have published textbooks or readers are always revising, so that their publisher can market a “new edition” every three years or so. (Beware, those of you thinking of publishing either a textbook or a course reader–it will become your life’s work, and you’ll never get back to primary research again…!)

By: Geoff

Geoff — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 03:30:45 +0000

There was a good article about this several months ago in the Chronicle of Higher Ed. A commentator noted that high prices are a function of students using used books — the fewer the publisher sells, the higher the price for the new books. Of course, the reverse is true too. The higher the price for the new book, the more likely one is to seek out a used copy. The author’s suggestion was a flat licensing fee for the material per course. An interesting idea, if it could be worked out.

I’m disappointed that students would have the gall to complain about not being able to sell books back. It shows a lack of respect for their education and the professor’s discretion to choose the texts that best suit their class.

By: nicole

nicole — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:30:10 +0000

As a grad student I borrowed the books that I knew I wouldn’t use again (even though I generally enjoyed them) and bought the books that directly spoke to what I do as a professional. Since graduating I have used quite a few monographs to help me present new ideas to my high schoolers (three from your class Historiann!)
I do think for many grad students it isn’t necessary to buy books- they know where to get them when they do need them and don’t cost a cent. In addition to monetary concerns, moving books sucks (books make up most of what I own).
I’ve never considered whether or not to get a book based on its resale value- I just budgeted $300-$400 a semester (ouch).

By: Historiann

Historiann — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:48:15 +0000

Actually, I get that more in grad classes than undergrad classes, for poverty reasons. Grad students are generally not subsidized to the same degree as u-grads by their parents, and they have to read a lot more assigned books. Plus, in a grad class with only ten students or so, if about half the students buy the books, the other half can count on getting a copy of the book if they plan ahead and do interlibrary loan or intrastate university loan, whereas the competition might be rough in an undergrad class with 30 or 40 other students.