Textbooks should not be an factor that holds students back

"The College Board estimates an average college student spends over $1,000 on textbooks every year. In a report published by Student Public Interest Research Groups, more than half of students say they did not buy a required textbook because it is too expensive and over 90 percent of students who go without are concerned it will impact their grades.

While students find the price stickers of textbooks enraging, most instructors find them repulsive as well. Each of my instructors this semester say they understand the costs of textbooks are a burden. Therefore, they allow older editions, suggest students find a used copy online for less or make the book optional.

The campus bookstore isn’t the villain, it’s the middle man. Instructors choose textbooks and the bookstore conveniently sells the chosen ones on campus. Textbook prices are set by publishers and the markup profit the bookstore receives is set by a contract with UH."