The prices of university textbooks are out of control

ByNagzi

At university you need to purchase the textbook specified for each lecture you choose, but the price of university textbooks continues to rise in the United States. Therefore, it is difficult to freely select the classes that you want to attend,Higher educationThe Seattle Times reports that it is a problem to disturb you.

Editorial: Textbook prices Another editorial editorial | The Seattle Times
http://seattletimes.com/html/editorials/2023193291_editcollegetext22xml.html


Cliff Mass Weather Blog: College Textbook Prices: Out of Control
http://cliffmass.blogspot.jp/2014/03/textbooks-prices-out-of-control-and.html

According to the Seattle Times, the prices of university textbooks are climbing every year everyday, and students attending collegeHigher educationIt is said that it is hindering.Government InspectorateAccording to the survey of the GAO, the university's textbook price has increased by 82% between 2002 and 2012, which shows that it is a market price that is unknown to the ceiling.College boardAccording to the forecast, as of 2014, American college students spend $ 1,200 a year (about 120,000 yen) for textbooks.

In a study conducted by the Seattle Times on university textbooks over the long term, college students with financial difficulties often decide on classes to be taken in consideration of the prices of textbooks, and although sometimes studying courses are carried out, textbooks Some students take a dangerous strategy not to purchase. As a result, although it is not accepted at many universities, it is expected to be a potential and promising solution by allowing printed textbooks, online, etc. to use used books different from the latest version.

The graph below is a graph showing the price transition of CPI's book series from 1998 to 2013 for each genre. The university's textbooks are about 2.4 times faster than the 1998 level, showing a price jump.


University of Washington SeattleofCliff MasThe professor agrees with the editorial of the Seattle Times and posts further additional information on the blog. For example, the following is the work of C. Donald AhrensBooks used in many universitiesAmazon's page. Although the price of the new book is about 161 dollars (about 16,000 yen), the price of the electronic book version which can be read by Kindle is 125 dollars (about 11 2700 yen), and although the contents are the same, there are many universities that accept e-books Because there is not, "It is an incredible price difference", Mas is speaking.


BelowMas's own writingsAlthough the price of the new book is 22 dollars (about 2200 yen), the used book can be purchased for about 5 dollars to 10 dollars (about 500 yen to 1000 yen). In addition, Professor Masu recommends purchasing second-hand books to students taking classes of their own and accepts the use of old textbooks if it is within 10 years.


Professor Mas' special field of atmospheric scienceAnother author's bookIs priced at about 135 dollars (about 13,700 yen), Professor Mass is criticizing as "It is a crazy high price, the textbook market in recent years is uncontrollable."


According to Professor Mass, the rising price of these textbooks is partly due to the publishing company's selling method of re-publishing textbooks with the same contents over 95% by changing the title by adding / changing the content of the textbook a little. He said that Masu himself may receive a similar offer. In response to this offer, Professor Mass is negotiating to reduce the burden of students by lowering the list price instead of agreeing to re-publish.

Also, in WashingtonState Board Community & Technical UniversityOver the past four yearsBill & Melinda Gates FoundationReceived funds from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and created inexpensive online textbooks for 81 major departments. As a result, at least students have succeeded in saving 5.5 million dollars (about 560 million yen) as a whole.


Also,Tacoma Community CollegeSo, in September 2011, the pilot program that the professor helps substitute for textbooks is done, and we have saved $ 643,000 (about 65.4 million yen) textbook fee so far. There are universities that are trying to deal with problems as soon as they look at the problems of textbooks, but it is not a fundamental solution.

As a result, some Senators and Congressmen have prepared bills on government subsidies for students and relatively inexpensive digital teaching materials, and American textbook issues are being examined for legislation and legislation.