Student Assembly

Sponsored by: Ulysses Smith ‘13, Ian Harris ‘16

Whereas, Cornell University encourages a culture that provides for the full participation of all members of our campus community;

Whereas, the average cost of books over the length of a student’s college career ranges from $850 to $1,430, depending on the college and degree program;

Whereas, the average cost of books from the Cornell Store is $395 for used books and $591 for new books per semester;

Whereas, over 50% of undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid;

Whereas, Chapter 5 of the Faculty Handbook (2010) speaks directly to steps the faculty should make in order to help minimize the cost of books for students;

Whereas, the Faculty Senate maintains jurisdiction over academic policies and the Student Assembly can make recommendations in this area on behalf of students;

Be it therefore resolved, that the SA recommends that the Faculty Senate adopt and enforce the following addition to Chapter 5 of the Faculty Handbook:

Book Lists

Faculty members are encouraged to submit textbook orders to the Cornell Store as promptly as possible in order to help the university manage students’ total cost of education. Orders can be submitted to the store online (http://www.store.cornell.edu/faculty.html) or by email (textbooks@cornell.edu).

Faculty may submit orders directly to the store, or work with the department’s textbook coordinator. Deadlines for submitting text lists are April 15th for the fall term, November 10th for the spring term, and March 31st for the summer sessions. (These dates do vary from year to year, so please check the course materials section of the store’s website for the latest information.) The Cornell Store is a department of the university and advocates for students by providing textbook shopping advice, many used books, a convenient returns process during drop/add, and paying good value for unneeded books at the end of each semester.

In addition to providing traditional textbook services, The Cornell Store can assist faculty in providing departmentally authored materials, custom course packs and copyright clearance. Deadlines for such services are similar to book list deadlines. See the website for more information.

Faculty can help minimize studentsʹ textbook expenses by informing the store well before the end of the term of the text they will use the following term. This enables students to receive the highest possible value for books they sell at the storeʹs biannual textbook buyback event. Early adoptions also increase the storeʹs ability to locate as many used books as possible from national wholesalers.

Faculty should indicate on the syllabus whether or not a student can use an older edition of a textbook for their class. This enables students to purchase a slightly older textbook at a much lower price.

If the faculty has authored the required book(s) for their class, it is highly advised that they return the royalties back to the students, college, or non-profit organization.

The Cornell Store provides desk copy forms, as well as a database of publisher information, both are available online at the course materials section of the Store’s website. Requests for desk copies should be made directly to publishers.

Inclusive Book Policy

In recognition of the diverse socioeconomic backgrounds that are present at Cornell, the University requires faculty adherence to an Inclusive Book Policy. The policy aims to provide free access to various course readings for students, particularly for those who would otherwise be unable to afford to purchase books.

For each book that faculty members require for a course, there must be at least one copy made available via the course reserve system in the University libraries and/or free electronic access provided to the material. Faculty members are encouraged to submit their booklists to their respective departments and/or the Library well in advance.

The suggested ratio of books to students is one per fifty students (1:50). For classes exceeding three hundred students, the maximum number of copies of individual books required to be placed on reserve is six.

Faculty members are also encouraged to take advantage of electronic versions of texts by obtaining permission to provide access to available course material to students for the duration of the specified semester.

Faculty members should also estimate the percentage and frequency that the required books will be used by students. This will let students have an insight to whether or not they should purchase, rent, or use the course reserves in the library to read their course materials.

Lastly, faculty should consider using an Open Textbook for their course. This publishing method allows students to access course materials online for free or to buy books for a reduced price. Faculty can consult the University Library for lists of books available via a Creative Commons license. Additionally, faculty should consult the library about writing their own books through a Creative Commons license.

Be it further resolved, that the Inclusive Book Policy be referenced in all course syllabi and in the Cornell Store’s book list email sent to each student.

Be it further resolved, that the SA recommends that this policy be funded in part by the Toward New Destinations Annual Initiatives Grant, the University Library, additional grants, individual colleges, departments, and programs.

Respectfully Submitted,

Ulysses Smith ‘13
Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion

Ian Harris ‘16
Freshman Representative At-Large

(Reviewed by: Diversity Affairs Coalition, 4/9/2013)