University of Wisconsin-Stout’s Textbook Fee Model Keeps Students’ Interests at Center - SPARC

"In the battle to make textbooks more affordable, many colleges and universities are starting to explore the idea of including the cost in students’ tuition and fees. For some, it involves a model known as “Inclusive Access” that has been promoted by the textbook industry but comes with several challenges for students and faculty. 

Is there a way to include textbook costs in tuition and fees while putting students’ interests first?

Enter the University of Wisconsin-Stout. It has included textbook rentals into the price of tuition for more than a century, working closely with librarians and students....

Each semester, the Instructional Resources Service at UW-Stout charges students a set rental fee for print and digital textbooks, access codes, CDs and other materials for its courses.Students pay $13.15 per credit hour—on average, $315 per year—for textbook fees that are rolled into tuition. 

The university estimates that its model saved the students of UW-Stout roughly $4.5 million last year...."