With credit card statements and cringe-worthy memories of textbook prices still fresh, ConnPIRG collected signatures in a colorful public protest Tuesday.
Textbook Rebellion is a grassroots movement that seeks to begin a discussion between students and professors about using open-source technology in the classroom. The campaign is sponsored by Flat World Knowledge, an open-source textbook company, and works in conjunction with Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) nation-wide.
As ConnPIRG volunteer and Chair of External Affairs for USG Ethan Senack recounted, “Most professors stick with one textbook, assigning new editions every two or three years that increase the price by as much as $60.”
USG President Sam Tracy recommended e-mailing professors in the weeks before classes to request the use of earlier editions of textbooks, which are generally available on Amazon.com for less than $20.
“Students are really suffering,” Tracy said. “However, we are also in a position to usher in change. The Textbook Rebellion tour gives students an opportunity to participate in the movement and to raise awareness of new options, such as open-source textbooks, that exist today.”
Textbook Rebellion’s innovative petition, which gained nearly 200 signatures Tuesday afternoon on Fairfield Way, despite being restricted by inclement weather, is designed to email professors with information about open-source textbooks and how they will help students save money.
In a class with enrollment numbers over 100, students will save an estimated $12,000 collectively if a professor assigns an open-source textbook. Flat World Knowledge offers free online access to over 100 publications for subjects such as business, humanities, science and mathematics. Print copies can be acquired by the Co-op Bookstore and will be retailed between $20 and $30. ConnPIRG’s goal is to get 25 professors on board with the initiative by the beginning of the spring semester.
According to an estimate by the College Board, the average undergraduate will spend $1,137 on textbooks annually. With college textbook prices increasing more than four times the rate of inflation, it is common for students to fork over $200 on required reading for one class.
“There are only a few publishing companies controlling the market for textbooks,” said Marc Walsh, campus organizer for ConnPIRG, while donning his 10-foot “Mr. $200 Textbook” costume.
After sparring with his nemesis, the heroic “Textbook Rebel,” played by ConnPIRG Hunger and Homelessness Campaign Manager Kathleen Page, Walsh said, “This market is one of the few in which consumers have no choice.”
The database is appropriate for students fulfilling general education requirements, although the catalog will expand in depth as demand for open-source textbooks increases. Furthermore, Textbook Rebellion is a ground-floor effort that tries to make higher education more affordable and available. With an increasingly competitive global market, it is important for colleges and universities to adapt to the expanding abilities of cyberspace.
ConnPIRG will be present at the Involvement Fair. The organization is always seeking interns and volunteers, so anyone interested can stop by its office at room No. 214 in the Student Union, or can contact campus organizer Marc Walsh at marc@connpirgstudents.org.
More information about Textbook Rebellion can be found on Twitter @textbookrebel or at textbookrebellion.org. Registration is free, and students can access Flat World Knowledge’s textbook database at www.flatworldknowledge.com.