 "Photo: Courtesy of NJPIRG")
State Public Interest Research Groups across the nation released a survey yesterday, "Rip-off 101: Second Edition," criticizing the publishing industry for the high cost of college textbooks.
NJPIRG and Rutgers College Governing Association members gathered in the Statehouse annex in Trenton yesterday morning to comment on the report. The PIRGs contend practices - such as attaching educational CD-ROMs and supplements to textbooks, releasing new editions and price inflation - have left many students without the ability to buy books. Members of the publishing industry have defended themselves by saying the market dictates cost and production practices.
The survey was administered nationwide and focused on the five most popular textbooks at 59 universities. PIRG survey findings said textbook prices are increasing at more than four times the inflation rate for all finished goods according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index.
RCGA member Jillian Curtis, a Rutgers College sophomore, said the increasing cost has left textbooks out of reach for many students. "It is really getting to the point that students can not buy the books they need," she said.
The survey found publishers are creating new editions at higher prices at quicker rates than both the rate of inflation and faculty preference. According to the survey, prices increase as high as 21 percent between new editions - more than three times the rate of inflation.
This report is the second one the PIRG organizations have completed. The first PIRG survey found 76 percent of faculty surveyed in the group's fall 2003 study said new editions were only justified "half the time" or less. Furthermore, 65 percent of faculty surveyed used these additional items "rarely" or "never."
The first survey was created by the PIRGs in California and Oregon and focused primarily on those states. Curtis said the publishing industry had problems with the methodology of the survey.
"We essentially corrected them, did it again and got the same results," Curtis said.
One of the publishing companies included in both surveys was Thomson Learning. Thomson Learning is one of the publishing groups represented by the Association of American Publishers.
Bruce Hildebrand, AAP spokesman, said the information in the PIRG survey is often misinformed and other surveys have found contrary information.
"I don't doubt their intentions, but the fact is that their numbers don't match the work of professionals," Hildebrand said, referring to a similar survey by Zogby International, a private polling corporation.
Hildebrand said the price associated with the textbooks is based on the five most popular textbooks and their popularity is based on faculty demand that in turn affects their prices.
"The professors look at their student body in their location to determine what is the best tools to help their students succeed," Hildebrand said. "Why are those textbooks so popular? Because they believe they are the best of the kind available in the world."
"It is not that we are insensitive to the price of book," Hildebrand said. "I was mad about the price of textbooks in the '60s and '70s."
Hildebrand said the books are expensive to produce and the sales are limited. "What costs money is content. Printing costs $5-$6. The money is in the intellectual content," he said. "A best-selling textbook is 40,000 editions. How many books do you think we print for Greek 404?"
One point that may frustrate students the most is a PIRG announcement that publishers charge American students more than their overseas counterparts.
Hildebrand agreed without hesitation and said, "If we don't price the books for that market, they will all be pirated."
PIRG organizations have planned a meeting with the AAP on Feb. 11, Hildebrand said.
At the University, the move to lower the price of textbooks is not only limited to surveys and conversations with the publishing industry.
"Despite information, publishing companies were not willing to make any changes," said Curtis. "[NJPIRG and RCGA] have decided that since we are hitting a brick wall with the publishing companies we have decided to try to make a difference on the University level."
The organizations have decided to split the campaign between publishing companies and at the University levels. To initiate change at the University, they disturbed tip cards to faculty members. The cards recommended things they can do to reduce the cost of textbooks at the University
"We haven't gotten much response yet, but we plan to do a survey if faculty members are paying attention to them or not," Curtis said.
Be the first to comment on this article!