CCC Strategies and Requirements to Improve Textbook Affordability

Debra Sheldon, SpecialistStudent Services and Special ProgramsCalifornia Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office

Increase awareness of college as a viable option and enhance access to higher education for growing populations.

Strategy A2: Removing Barriers to Access and Student Success

System Strategic Plan Goal A College Awareness and Access

Textbooks are a significant barrier

According to the Student PIRGs Textbooks cost about $900 per year Prices are rising at a rate four times that of inflation

For CCC students, textbooks can easily exceed the cost of fees by 150%

Reasons for rising costs

Unique market where those who choose “product” (faculty) are different from those who buy it (students)Similar to pharmaceutical industryGives publishers and suppliers an unusual degree of

control over the marketplace The rate of increase has mirrored tuition increases at

4-year colleges and universities

Reasons for rising costs (continued) Studies suggest cost increases are related to

supplemental multimedia materials bundled with texts

Former publisher said sales have been declining; publishers have raised prices to maintain returns to shareholdersSupplemental materials are used to justify price

increases

BOG Textbook Recommendations

1. CEO and Trustee must lead

2. Establish Textbook Adoption Guidelines that address:Timely book orders to increase the # of used booksLength of adoptionLower costs optionsEfficient course scheduling - late scheduling means late

textbook adoptions and fewer used books

BOG Textbook Recommendations

3. Establish College Textbook Affordability Task Forces

4. Clarify articulation policies related to digital textbooks and learning materials

5. Educate college stakeholders on the options for reducing textbooks costs.

BOG Textbook Recommendations

6. Develop step-by-step guidelines for establishing Textbook Rental Programs

7. Promote Library Textbook Reserves

8. Provide student financial aid for textbooks in time for the first day of class

9. Explore systemwide volume discounts on custom cover editions of widely used textbooks.

BOG Textbook Recommendations

10. Promote awareness, development and adoption of free, open educational resources (OER)

11. Support the participation of the California Community Colleges in the development of the CSU sponsored Digital Marketplace.

89 colleges

from AZ, C

A,

FL, IA, M

D, NV,

NY, OH, T

X,

WA, Canada

CCCOER Membership

Legislative efforts

AB 2447 (Liu) enacted in 2005 SB 832 (Corbett) vetoed in 2007 AB 1548 (Solario) enacted in 2007 AB 2261 (Ruskin) enacted in 2008 HR 4137 - Federal College Opportunity and

Affordability Act of 2007 enacted in August 2008

Legislative RequirementsColleges must: Work with Academic Senates on Processes and Timelines and

with Faculty and Publishers on Affordable Bundles (AB 2477 Liu)

Post Bookstore Pricing Policy (AB 1548 Solario) 

Encourage Faculty to Submit Textbook Orders On Time (AB 1548 Solario)

Prohibit the Receipt of Inducements to Adopt a Textbook (AB 1548 Solario)

Prohibiting the Sale of Complimentary Textbook Copies (AB 1548 Solario) 

Post Textbook ISBN and Retail Prices on Internet Course Catalog when practical (HR 4137) .

Bureau of State Audits on Textbooks “Affordability of College Textbooks: Textbook Prices Have Risen Significantly in the Last

Four Years, but Some Strategies May Help to Control These Cost for Students”

https://www.bsa.ca.gov/pdfs/reports/2007-116.pdf

Bureau of State Audits on Textbooks  To increase awareness and transparency about the reasons campus

bookstores add markups to publishers’ invoice prices for textbooks, UC, CSU, and the community colleges should consider requiring campuses to do the following:

Reevaluate bookstores’ pricing policies to ensure that markups are not higher than necessary to support bookstore operations. If the campuses determine that bookstore profits are needed to fund other campus activities, the campuses should seek input from students as necessary to determine whether such purposes are warranted and supported by the student body, particularly when higher textbook prices result.

  Direct bookstores to publicly disclose on an annual basis any amounts they use

for purposes that do not relate to bookstore operations, such as contributions they make to campus organizations and activities.

CCC Response to BSAThe Chancellor’s Office will:  Initiate consultation to encourage them to implement this

recommendation. The College Finance and Facilities Planning Division will initiate a conversation with the Association of College Business Officers (ACBO) Fiscal Standards and Accountability Committee on the contents of this recommendation and the best way for it to be implemented.

  Recommend to colleges that transparency in bookstore pricing policies be

addressed by local textbook taskforces that are already in existence or that are created in response to recommendations adopted by the BOG.

Affordability Needs Alliances

Academic Senate

C I O

Bookstore

CSSO

StudentLeaders

Trustees

& CEO

All are essential in the mission to educate

CCC Strategies and Requirements to Improve Textbook Affordability

Questions?