Textbooks taxing for students

Krystal Acosta comes off as a jovial person, laughing between sentences and wearing an almost permanent smile on her face. But if you ask her about the textbooks she has to pay for, the smile quickly dissipates.

“Textbook prices suck,” the 23-year-old OCC student said. “Some books are unnecessarily overpriced. It’s pretty ridiculous. It’d be nice if book companies could cut us some slack.”

Acosta, who pays for her own education, is not unlike many local students who are burdened by the significant price of textbooks. A recent state report showed that textbooks make up 59% of a community college student’s expenses.

“The price of books is painful,” said Ian Stroup, who is entering his first semester at OCC. “Used books should be cheaper than what they’re offering.”

Students aren’t the only ones noticing the costs, however. Local State Sen. Tom Harman requested a report from the state auditor, and he feels that the rising cost of textbooks is an issue that must be dealt with.

“I think there might be need for some type of legislation,” Harman said. “There was a bill by the government, but it was a bit too stringent. I’m looking for something reasonable that takes into account the publishing industry.”

The publishing industry is paramount; It’s where it all begins.

Sue Redman, vice president of corporate communications at the Nebraska Book Company, a textbook distributor, explained the techniques many publishers use to keep prices up.

Publishers often increase the frequency of new editions, preventing students from buying used (and cheaper) books. They also bundle items such as CDs and DVDs in with the textbooks, features that can jack up the prices of the textbooks.

Representatives from publishing companies such as McGraw-Hill and Houghton Mifflin could not be reached for comment.

Carrie McCully, the course materials manager at the UCI bookstore, agreed that the problem starts with the publishers.

“There really isn’t much [we can do], unless you can get the professors to be a little more aware,” she said. “Some care, some don’t care. That’s why we have some lower cost options for students.”

Professors can use options such as online texts, or simply choose texts less expensive for their classes. On the other side of the coin, students have sites like half.com and Amazon available to them, allowing for the resale of used books at cheaper prices.

Kyle Harmon, a senior studying cultural anthropology at Costa Mesa’s Vanguard University, makes sure to take advantage of these websites.

“Prices are burdensome, but if you know how to do it right, you’ll be OK,” he said. “Textbooks are just another thing, a small add-on.”

Hope may be on the way in the near future. President George W. Bush signed the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 on Aug. 14, and one of its aims is to facilitate the “unbundling” of textbooks, which may ultimately result in the lowering of costs for students.

That said, the issue of textbook prices still remains unresolved for people like Harman.

“I would expect some time that I’ll introduce some legislation,” he said. “I want to level the playing field for students.”