Students say college texts are too pricey

For Bryce Aguilera, 19, a sophomore at LaGuardia Community College, paying for his textbooks to study veterinary science can cost him up to $350 for a single book.
The Rosedale resident said he does not receive financial aid because of his parent’s income, so he works to pay for his books out-of-pocket. On average, Aguilera said he spends $500 per semester on books.
“I believe that we get what we pay for,” Aguilera said, “but I honestly feel that the high prices are ridiculous.”
The City Council’s Committee on Higher Education attempted to get an answer to the high prices of textbooks during its meeting on Monday, November 29. At the meeting, the committee also asked about alternatives that were available to help students like Aguilera deal with rising prices of books. Each year students across the state are paying an average of $400 to $800 per books per semester. From 1994 to 2006, the cost of textbooks has increased 24 to 45 percent per year.
Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez, president of the committee, expressed that most of the City University of New York (CUNY) students are from low-income families and can’t afford the high prices of textbooks. Rodriguez said many students fall behind because they choose not buy the textbooks they need and some drop certain courses needed for graduation.
“New textbook editions, which are published every three years, are approximately 45 percent more expensive than previous editions,” Rodriguez said. “The new, more costly editions immediately rendered older versions obsolete, thereby limiting the availability of used textbooks.”
Aguilera agrees that some of new editions are unnecessary.
“I don’t understand the point of coming out with a new edition and charging students more for it,” Aguilera said. “They have the same information.”
Susan Amper, associated English professor at Bronx Community College (CUNY), explained the textbooks rising prices and student-income dynamic. Amper said that if it were not for free books, through Pell vouchers, for many students going to school would be hard if not impossible. Amper added that in seven years textbooks prices have risen 186 percent.
“The exorbitant cost of college textbooks is crippling CUNY’s mission to bring higher education to striving New York City students,” Amper said. “Students at CUNY community colleges spend, on average, $1,000 per year on textbooks, an amount equal to 34 percent of their tuition.”
Amper introduced the committee to the Open Educational Resources, an open textbook system, which is an alternative that gives students a different format and alternative to print the chapters relevant to their coursework or the entire book. It also offers interactive features and links that can provide further explanation of the text and vocabulary definitions. The system has been in place for years and has been used by Harvard University students and faculty and members of other institutions of higher learning.
Aguilera said programs like the Open Education Resources could help solve his and other students’ financial struggle to purchase expensive books.
“If it offers easier access to information and it saves trees, why won’t more schools use this system?” Aguilera said.