Associated Students of Madison representatives rallied on the steps of Bascom Hall Thursday afternoon to demand lower costs for textbooks.
After ASM representatives announced their goals, press and members of the student body followed them to Vice Chancellor Paul Barrows' office to announce their campaign to initiate a textbook rental system at UW-Madison and deliver a petition in support of the system with more than 1,000 student signatures.
The rising cost of textbooks has become a nationwide problem. The Consumer Price Index reported the price of textbooks rose 238 percent in the past 20 years. Additionally, the College Board reported four-year college students spent approximately $807 each on books in 2002.
To combat the rise in prices, ASM plans to initiate a commission consisting of ASM, faculty, administrative and library appointees to investigate a university textbook rental option.
The textbook rental system is already being offered at seven other UW System campuses.
\At [UW-Eau Claire] students pay a mere $73 per student, per semester [with their rental program],"" ASM Representative Kanjana Thepboriruk said.
Faris Rashid, the ASM representative who organized the rally, said he thinks ASM will see results quickly. He said he hopes to have the commission meet by mid-October and issue a report by Feb. 1.
According to Steve Scheibel, text manager for the University Bookstore, students pay on average $350 per semester for textbooks.
""After blowing over $250 on books this semester alone, I understand first-hand how it feels to pay too much,"" said Hanna Hagen, intern with the campus relations committee of ASM and a UW-Madison freshman. ""But it isn't just me. I've talked with droves of students who have paid close to double what I have on textbooks.""
Although Scheibel did not think the textbook rental system would affect University Bookstore sales, he said he believed the system would be a hard sell for UW-Madison faculty.
""It's hard for the university to sell faculty on the idea that they have to choose one textbook,"" he said. ""Professors work hard at developing their own courses.""
Because Barrows was not in his office when ralliers arrived, ASM will meet with him today to discuss implementing a textbook rental system. Barrows said he knew ASM planned to address the issue before the rally, but he did not know how or when they would do it.
