CHAPTER 5 POLICIES PERTAINING TO CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

SECTION 1 TEXT SERVICES

(To see who has authority to approve changes to this section, please see the Approval of Changes page).

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Text Rental is a valuable service available to students at UWSP. The rental system is similar to a library through which students check out most of their course books and return them at the end of the semester and/or includes both physical and digital options. Text Rental was implemented in 1894 in an effort to make education affordable for students attending the Stevens Point Normal School.

The primary textbook usage at UWSP continues to be through Text Rental and instructors are required to use Text Rental. See Part A below for guidelines concerning Text Rental in both physical and digital forms if applicable. Under some circumstances, however, rental cannot provide the breadth and scope of texts required or recommended for a course, or a department wants majors to purchase certain texts, or other reasons exist for the purchase of some books. As described below, these needs must be requested through the Supplemental section of the University Store. See Part B below for further information about Supplementary Materials.

Usage of texts/course materials authored by UWSP faculty must comply with all campus Text Rental guidelines.

Text Rental is the only entity on campus authorized to enter into negotiations with publishers and book suppliers concerning text rental contracts.

PART A - TEXTBOOK RENTAL

Textbook Rental is a self-supporting service financed through student text rental fees. Undergraduate students pay a per credit fee in their tuition for the rental of one textbook per course. Graduate students are not assessed text rental fees and normally purchase their texts. However, graduate students enrolled in slash courses (undergraduate/graduate) may rent their texts upon payment of a rental fee based on a per-credit assessment.

Textbook Rental is located within the University Store in the lower level of the Dreyfus University Center.

RENTAL GUIDELINES (PHYSICAL):

TEXTS PER COURSE

One textbook is provided for each course. If one text will not adequately meet the needs of a course, two or more texts may be used, provided that the total cost of those texts does not exceed the average list price of a single text as determined by Text Rental for the previous academic year.

Additionally, all texts must be durable enough to be circulated repeatedly for the required duration of text adoption.

DURATION OF TEXT ADOPTION

• Textbooks requested for lower-division courses (100-200 level) are acquired for at least three academic years.

• Textbooks requested for upper-division courses (300-400 level) are acquired for at least two academic years.

BOOK AVAILABILITY

The Text Rental staff will review book requests and research book availability before placing orders. If there are any questions or issues with availability the Text Rental staff will contact the instructor and/or department prior to ordering books.

SPECIAL TOPICS COURSES

For Special Topics Courses, or for courses in which the focus alters the content from semester to semester, textbooks may be available through Text Rental provided that the textbook(s) meet(s) the texts per course and usage duration guidelines set forth above. The completed Request for Special Topics Course Textbooks and Exceptions to Text Rental Guidelines form must be submitted to, and approved by, the department chairperson and the appropriate dean before being submitted to Text Rental.

If a textbook is provided for a Special Topics Course under the above usage guidelines and the usage duration condition is not met, Text Rental will attempt to sell the textbook. However, the department will be responsible for any unrecouped costs associated with providing this textbook and subsequent failure to adhere to the usage guidelines. For the purpose of this policy, departments failing to adhere to the Special Topics Courses usage guidelines will be assessed a charge of one half of the original purchase price for each text violating the above usage guidelines.

TEXTS CONTAINING REMOVABLE MEDIA

All textbooks with removable and additional media included; i.e. CDs and DVDs, will be evaluated for compatibility and usefulness and relevance for the course by instructors. Removable media will be evaluated for usage feasibility by Text Rental staff. Decisions regarding the handling of the removable media will be determined on an individual basis as agreed upon by the Text Rental staff.

PROCESS OF REQUESTING TEXTS

Federal law (Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by Public Law 110-315-Aug. 14, 2008 Section 133) requires the publication of texts and supplemental materials costs for courses and that this information is made available to students. In order to comply with this requirement, the new adoption and current inventory rental books for courses must be requested each semester via the UWSP Text Rental/Supplemental requisition system by the department chairperson or designee according to the following due dates:

• Summer session and fall semester:

o March 1

• Winterim and spring semester:

o October 1

For text requests that are submitted after the above dates, to avoid additional costs courses may be limited to using a text currently existing in Text Rental’s inventory. If no acceptable text exists, Text Rental and the instructor will work together to find the best solution.

RETURN OF RENTAL TEXTS AND REMOVABLE/ADDITIONAL MEDIA

All rental books and removable/additional media are due back by the last day of finals, or the published “late” return schedule. Books returned within three business days after the last day of the final exam period will be assessed a late fee not to exceed $10 per book. If rental materials are still not returned by the end of the third business day after the final exam period, the student’s account will be billed up to the full retail price of each item not returned.

RENTAL GUIDELINES (DIGITAL):

Digital materials, including e-textbooks, courseware, and supplemental course activities should be considered if those options are available for the titles chosen by the faculty for their course. Mechanisms for digital access include:

• Inclusive Access (IA) or other model through Text Rental

• Open Educational Resources

• Electronic book license available via the University Libraries

• Student purchase of access codes (supplemental materials)

Digital materials must adhere to the UWSP Accessibility Policy. When possible, digital materials should be integrated into the Learning Management System (e.g. Canvas).

EXCEPTIONS TO RENTAL GUIDELINES

Exceptions to the above guidelines may be granted by the Text Rental manager upon receipt of a Request for Special Topic Course Textbooks and Exceptions to Text Rental Guidelines form by the instructor that has been approved by the department chairperson and the appropriate dean. Text Rental will provide the appropriate form upon request.

OTHER SERVICES AND INFORMATION

• After the third full week of classes, students enrolled at UWSP may check out additional rental textbooks for reference and general use.

• Winter/Summer break Text Rental - After the add/drop deadline, students enrolled in winter or summer classes at UWSP may check out additional rental textbooks for reference and general use. Students not enrolled in winter or summer classes can pay a rental fee up to $10 to use a textbook between semesters.

• Rental textbooks may be purchased at a 20% retail discount by students enrolled in a course.

• Publishers, not bookstores, provide desk copies. Text Rental will assist faculty in the ordering of desk copies for classroom use if needed. An instructor may check out a text, if available, from Text Rental with a UWSP PointCard (ID) and completed Instructor Textbook Loan form, until their desk copy arrives. Text Rental will provide the appropriate form upon request.

• Reducing inventory: Texts are disposed of when no longer needed for a course (i.e. when there is a new adoption or the dormancy period of the class exceeds the duration of text adoption). Disposal may consist of selling texts to a wholesaler; if value exists, placed on sale tables for students/staff to purchase at reduced prices ($1-$5), donated, or recycled.

PART B - SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS

REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED MATERIALS

Faculty shall observe a $75 limit (based on retail prices) on the cost of supplemental books and materials that a student is required to purchase for any one course. Exceptions to the $75 maximum may be granted by the chairperson of the instructor’s department. Written authorization and completed Request for Special Topics Course Textbooks and Exceptions to Text Rental Guidelines form signed by the department chairperson and the appropriate dean shall accompany the request.

Items, such as the following, but not limited to, will not be furnished through Text Rental and are considered supplemental. Except in special cases, these items must be purchased by students:

• Atlases

• Compact discs

• Consumable materials

• Course outline guides

• Dictionaries

• Mass market paperbacks

• Laboratory materials

• Music scores

• Music staff guides

• Supplies and other non-book materials

• Outline maps

• Solutions manuals

• Workbooks

Course-related supplies and non-book materials should be requested each semester by the department chairperson or designee via the University Store. University Store staff will not assume supplies or materials are needed if they are not requested.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS, SUPPLIES, AND OTHER NON-BOOK RESOURCES GUIDELINES

PROCESS OF REQUESTING SUPPLEMENTAL TEXTS:

Supplemental materials are requested each semester via the online UWSP Text Rental/Supplemental requisition system by the department chairperson or designee according to the following due dates:

• Summer session and fall semester:

o March 1

• Winterim and spring semester:

o October 1

EXPEDITING REQUESTS

The University Store is not always able to hold books over from one semester to the next. It is not safe to assume that a book is on hand because it has been used in the past. Faculty should place book requests by the published deadlines each semester to ensure availability and affordability for students.

The following should be provided when ordering:

• ISBN

• Author

• Title

• Edition

• Publisher

• Price (if possible)

• Required or Recommended (see definitions below)

• Sequence of usage (when more than one book is requested for a course)

When class enrollments exceed original expectations, it is the responsibility of the department to contact the University Store supplemental book staff to ensure quantities are sufficient.

QUANTITIES OF BOOKS ORDERED

Instructors can assist in making higher education affordable for students. To help keep supplemental course books affordable the University Store supplemental book staff must be careful when ordering materials. The cost of returning overstock books each semester is significant and adds to the price of all items in the University Store, including books. The University Store supplemental book staff orders requested book quantities based on the following guidelines:

Instructor Recommendations

Instructors and departments are encouraged to estimate the number of books needed for a course and to notify the University Store when:

• courses are canceled

• titles have been canceled from the syllabus

• the instructor adds students to the course beyond the course limit

• or if there are any questions or concerns regarding specific course texts.

Required vs. Recommended

Required books are used significantly in a course; acquisition of these books by students will be essential for their success in the course. Readings and assignments are generally assigned out of required materials. Recommended books are not necessarily used significantly in the course; acquisition of these books by students will serve to enhance the student’s education and understanding in this course.

• To ensure that all students have access to required books, the University Store supplemental book staff will order required books up to the number of students enrolled in the course. The number of books on hand at the start of the semester may be less than enrollment, due to the smaller number of required books that students have purchased historically.

• Recommended books will be ordered in smaller quantities, or only special ordered for students as requested, due to the smaller number of recommended books that students have purchased historically.

New vs. Used

New books are purchased directly from the publisher or distributor and will have no marks of highlights in them. In general, the University Store supplemental book staff will order workbooks and “consumable” books as new. Used books may be purchased directly from students at the end of the semester during “Textbook Buyback.” Used books are also purchased from used book wholesale companies. Used books are generally priced at 25% less than new book price. The University Store supplemental book staff will preferentially purchase used books for each course each semester to assist students with book affordability unless the book is a single use material (i.e. workbooks).

Digital Books vs. Print Books

Instructors may request that the University Store stock their supplemental course books in an electronic format and if that format is available it will be offered along with the print version of the book in smaller quantities.

Book Availability and Editions

The University Store supplemental book staff will review book request and research book availability and current editions before placing orders. If there are newer editions available, or any questions or issues with availability the supplemental book staff will contact the instructor prior to ordering books.

“PHYSICAL TEXTBOOK BUYBACK”

Each semester the University Store offers a service to students called “Textbook Buyback” where students may be able to sell their used supplemental books to a used book wholesaler during finals week. The wholesaler pays up to 50% of new book price for books that are on the list of needed books generated by book requests submitted via the UWSP Text Rental/Supplemental requisition system. If the buyback quantity has been met, or a book is not on the list of needed books, students still may be able to sell their books to the used book wholesaler, but at a rate determined by the wholesaler.

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Instructors are urged not to quote the price of a book in class or in syllabus. Publishers change prices of books frequently, sometimes as often as once per semester. Therefore, prices should be expected to vary between semesters.