Textbook prices a pressing problem

High textbook prices are a “significant barrier to access” to low and moderate-income students and are the result of the disproportionate power that publishers yield, according to a yearlong study conducted by a federal panel.

The study, which was commissioned in May 2006 by Rep. Howard P. McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, and Rep. David Wu, D-Portland, also found that textbook prices have risen more rapidly than other commodities, and that students have minimal contact with publishers since professors order the books.

The report concluded that the textbook market needs to be a more “student-centric” market by allowing students to buy small parts of books rather than whole chapters.

Sarah Dobjensky, a first-year undeclared student and the chairwoman of the UCLA branch of the California Public Interest Research Group, said she believes the report, which confirmed findings from CALPIRG’s own investigative report, is a positive step.

“The government report offers a smart package of solutions such as the proposed digital marketplace for parts of books, strengthening the market for used textbooks and offering ways for faculty to publish their own material,” Dobjensky said.

Dobjensky said the report was a follow-up to a study done by the Government Accountability Office, whose results she said overlapped with CALPIRG’s own textbook-affordability study.

The government study found that the average student spends between $700 and $1,000 a year on books, and Dobjensky said the CALPIRG study found that the average UCLA student spends $900.

Some UCLA professors, such as Teofilo Ruiz of the UCLA Department of History, have implemented their own solutions to help students save money on textbooks.

Ruiz said he has put a significant amount of course readings on the class Web site as a free download, and when he has to use books, he tries to find publishers with lower prices.

“I have to find a balance between books students need for the class, and books that are accessible,” Ruiz said, adding that he usually assigns paperbacks that don’t cost more than $10.

Addar Weintraub, Academic Affairs commissioner of the Undergraduate Students Association Council, said she believes many students agree that textbook prices are too high, adding that USAC is working on ways to make school more affordable.

“(Financial Supports Commissioner) Clinton Jang is working on a program where students can actively lend books to each other,” Weintraub said.

Dobjensky said the California State Senate passed the Textbook Affordability Act three weeks ago, which will require textbook publishers to disclose pricing information to professors. The bill still awaits passage in the State Assembly and approval from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“In the upcoming months we will continue to lobby for the bill to become law, and we hope to work toward improving financial aid policies since they don’t currently cover textbooks,” Dobjensky said.