Karina Gonzalez
Pierce College Academic Senate met May 14 to discuss various issues, among which the report by Associated Students Organization (ASO) president Abraham White was the highlight, obtaining the applause of those present.
After discussing routine issues, Academic Senate president Tom Rosdahl introduced White, who talked measures that would save students thousands of dollars in textbook prices.
“I would like to especially thank the anthropology and geography department,” White said. “They have turned in their book orders in early and this is important because for the first time that I’m aware of 90% of the book orders for summer sessions, both sessions A and B, are in and over half of the orders for the fall books are in… As a result students will be getting $50,000 back in their pockets.”
In a later interview White explained that many faculty members do not turn in early orders simply because they do not know of the impact that could have in students.
“They get $50,000 back from buyback, so they will be able to actually sell their books back and get a decent price for it, because the professor got their textbook orders in early enough so that the bookstore can go out and buy the cheapest used textbooks possible early before they are all gone.”
White also talked about the difficulty to reach a balance between the academic freedom, which is the professors’ freedom to choose whatever textbook they want to teach their course and saving students money.
“It is a difficult balance,” he said. “Some of the compromises some schools have had are that students and faculty come together and decide they will use a certain textbook for three to five years. The reason why that is really beneficial is because the bookstore knows for sure that they can buy a ton of books and save a lot of money by getting them all used and it really helps everyone. That is one of the ways to go.”
While this measure benefits students, it also shows one of the many ways big textbook companies take thousands of dollars from uninformed clients.
“Textbook prices have only recently become a huge issue,” White commented. “It is only within the last five to 10 years that the prices have skyrocketed and that is because in the textbook industry there used to be a couple of different publishing companies, but now there are only five major publishing companies and it is almost an issue of monopoly. They are just completely dominating and controlling the industry to the point that consumers have no freedom at all.”
White also commented that he does not believe there is a relationship between tuition prices going up in California and the skyrocketing textbook prices. He explained that publishing companies are just trying to obtain larger profits.
“The reason why [UCs and Cal States] tuition is coming up is two reasons: one, is because the budget is really hurting and the easiest way for them to get money is to take it from students and that is not the right way to go about it,” White clarified. “The reason they are able to do that is because students just do not vote. We don’t go out to the polls and vote so politicians do not pay attention to us. That is why we will work really hard in the fall to get students registered, so they will be out to the polls in full force and they will hear the students’ voice.”
When asked if the recent arrest of Matt Corwin, East Los Angeles ASO president, affected the student movement that tries to reduce textbook prices, White responded if it did, the damage would be insignificant.
“He is one of the many students who have been working on it and we are glad that he has been able to do the good work that he has,” he said. “It is very unfortunate what has happened, but I feel like the drive to make textbooks more affordable is going to continue and only get stronger.”
White, who identifies himself as a business, economics and politics major, said there are a lot of things students can do themselves to save money without having to go to faculty. One option is to simply go into the bookstore, get the titles of the necessary books and look for more affordable prices online.
“Also going to faculty and asking them ‘We really are hurting and these textbook prices are too much. Is there anything that you can do?’
Some of the simplest things they [faculty] can do, besides getting the book orders early, is they can also go to manila books where there is no color pictures, minimal text, just absolutely what you need so you save a lot of money there… That is why we have been doing an education drive to let the faculty know that there are these options.”
White concluded by stating that he will carry on his fight for fair textbook prices to any university that he transfers to.
“Wherever I go I’m definitely going to continue to fight for students’ rights.”