The beginning of a new semester can be dreadful experience for Northeastern Illinois University students. The overdue release of book lists from the bookstore is not any consolation for students. Beck’s releases book lists for classes two weeks before classes begin.
The sluggish turn around for the release of book lists is due to several reasons. One of them being is instructors order textbooks after finals are completed. The fault of this matter is not left with instructors however; students are left with the slack of late book release dates. This brings added stress for students are not left with other options for purchasing books for the next semester.
Online bookstores are great places for students to shop and save hundreds of dollars on textbooks. However, the shipping time cuts into the amount of class work students tend to miss waiting for textbooks.
In the Fall 2007 semester, Film History by David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson a textbook for Survey of World Cinema 369E, priced at $65 dollars for a used copy at Beck’s. As of December 28, 2007, the textbook priced at Amazon.com for $47.99 for a used copy. The difference in the price is insurmountable when the grand total for books for a semester is calculated. The students who are taking Dr. Maria Moraites’ History of American Cinema class in the Spring 2008 semester will also be using the Bordwell and Thompson class. Moraites also taught the Survey of World Cinema class in Fall 2007 and students from that class taking her Spring 2008 History of American Cinema class would be able to save money in saving the textbook for this semester.
There are legal measures that the State of Illinois has taken to remedy the fallout in students purchasing textbooks. A representative of State Senator Iris Martinez’s office notified The Independent that July 26, 2007 a bill was resolved in the Illinois General Assembly that holds institutions accountable for measures taken to reduce the price of textbooks for students. Bill SR298 described as “Higher Education-Textbook Costs” synopsis reads, “Resolves that each public university and community college shall undertake measures to reduce the cost of textbooks to students.” However, this does not mean the university can lower book prices for students but they can find ways to do so.