Apr 13, 2014 09:00:57

College textbook prices out of control

By

nagzi

College students are required to purchase the textbooks assigned to each class they choose, but the rising cost of textbooks in the United States is becoming a major obstacle to higher education , making it difficult for students to freely choose the classes they want to take, according to a report by The Seattle Times.

Editorial: Textbook prices another barrier to higher education | Editorials | The Seattle Times
http://seattletimes.com/html/editorials/2023193291_editcollegetext22xml.html

Cliff Mass Weather Blog: College Textbook Prices: Out of Control
http://cliffmass.blogspot.jp/2014/03/textbooks-prices-out-of-control-and.html

According to the Seattle Times, the skyrocketing cost of college textbooks is hindering students' ability to pursue higher education . According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study, college textbook prices increased by 82% between 2002 and 2012, showing no signs of slowing down. The College Board estimates that as of 2014, American college students spend $1,200 (approximately 120,000 yen) annually on textbooks.

A long-term study of college textbooks by The Seattle Times found that financially strapped college students often decide which classes to take based on the price of textbooks, and that some students even take the risky strategy of registering for classes but not purchasing them. Therefore, allowing students to use printed textbooks or secondhand copies of textbooks that are not the latest editions, even though many universities do not allow it, is seen as a potential and promising solution.

The graph below shows the price trends of CPI's book series by genre from 1998 to 2013. University textbooks have seen the biggest price increase, increasing by about 2.4 times since 1998.

Professor

Cliff Mass of the University of Washington, Seattle , agreed with the Seattle Times editorial and posted additional information on his blog. For example, below is the Amazon page for one of C. Donald Ahrens' books, which is used by many universities . The new book costs about $161, while the e-book version available on Kindle costs $125. Professor Mass said, 'The price difference is incredible,' since not many universities allow e-books, even though the content is the same.

The following is

Professor Mass's own work , but the price of a new book is $22 (about 2,200 yen), while a used book can be purchased for about $5 to $10 (about 500 to 1,000 yen). Professor Mass encourages students taking his classes to purchase used books, and allows the use of old textbooks as long as they are within 10 years.

Another author's book on atmospheric science, Professor Mass's field of expertise, costs about $135 (about 13,700 yen), and Professor Mass criticized it, saying, 'These prices are crazy high, and the textbook market is out of control these days.'

Professor Massu said that these rising textbook prices are partly due to the sales tactics of publishers, who republish textbooks with over 95% of the same content, changing the title and adding or changing the content slightly. He said that he himself sometimes receives similar offers. In response to these offers, Professor Massu negotiates to lower the list price in exchange for agreeing to republish the textbook, so that students can afford it.

Washington

State Board Community & Technical College , with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation over the past four years, has created affordable online textbooks for 81 major academic departments, saving students at least $5.5 million.

Tacoma Community College has also been running a pilot program in September 2011 in which professors help students find substitutes for textbooks, saving them $643,000 (approximately 65.4 million yen) in textbook costs. Some universities are taking the textbook problem seriously and trying to address it quickly, but this has not provided a fundamental solution.

As a result, some senators and representatives are drafting bills for government subsidies for students and relatively inexpensive digital learning materials, and the textbook issue in the United States is now being considered for legal reform and legislation.