Student Assembly Meeting Tuesday, October 17, 2006 Resolution to Support Early Textbook Adoption Proposal SA-R -0610- 001 Submitted by: Senator Brande, Academic Affairs Committee, Student Services Committee

Student Assembly Action: _________________ ON ___________________

WHEREAS, the University of Iowa has traditionally allowed the faculty to submit textbook requests for the upcoming semester at their convenience, and to the bookstore of their choice this policy, however inhibits the efficiency, and thereby the effectiveness of both the University of Iowa Bookstores and Student Disability Services

WHEREAS, under the current policy inquires to the faculty from the Bookstore regarding texts for upcoming semesters have been declining in recent years. For further information regarding any of following, please reference the affixed proposal.

WHEREAS, each semester the UI Bookstore sponsors a book buyback in order to provide the student with less expensive used books in the coming semester and the current adoption practice mitigates against students paying less for textbooks.

WHEREAS, in the interest of efficiency the UI Bookstore and/or other bookstores must know which books are being reordered for the next semester, as well as which courses will require a new textbook. Knowing this information will facilitate an effective buyback and maximize the dollars returned to students.

WHEREAS, slow adoption rates are problematic for the general student body, the issue is far more acute to students with disabilities.  In particular, those requiring reformatted textbooks due to a disability.

WHEREAS, last year 607 students registered with the Student Disability Services (SDS) office for accommodations, including all levels of undergraduate and professional students. Approximately 11% of whom received Alternative Media Services (AMS), each semester. These accommodations include Audio formatted, Enlarged print, or Text formatted (e.g., Braille or electronic) textbooks.

WHEREAS, Alternate Media Services require textbook modification, entailing a lengthy copyright permissions process of 6-7 weeks, with an additional week for modification. To initiate this process SDS must first be aware of which books a student requires.

WHEREAS, Student Disability Services petitions for information regarding textbooks with sufficient time allocated for the modification process. However the data shows that little more than a third of faculty respond prior to the beginning of the term for which the information is requested. This leaves almost 2/3 of the students’ requests unanswered. Alternative Media Services could not provide reformatted textbooks to students without the resources necessary to be prepared for classes. Even when requests are received in August, students are left without materials until Midterms. 

WHEREAS, the data has shown that poor Faculty –Student/ representative department communication is to the detriment of all University of Iowa students,

BE IT RESOLVED, in recognition of every student’s right to the education guaranteed by their admission to and payment of University tuition, the University of Iowa Student Government along with Student Disability Services and the University of Iowa Bookstore support the adoption of a standardized date for textbook submission, as outlined in the affixed Early Textbook Adoption proposal.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the aforementioned proposal will be delivered forthwith to the University of Iowa Faculty Senate by the Executive and pertinent parties for their immediate consideration.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, upon approval of the University of Iowa Student Government Student Assembly the aforementioned proposal will be referred to the University of Iowa Shared Government Committee, in addition to the Office of the President, Office of the Provost, and the Office of the Dean for each of the University of Iowa’s eleven colleges.