While Joe Stone’s recent column ( “Why have textbook prices increased by so much?,” ODE, July 18) got a lot of things right, I’d also like to add that publishers are sympathetic to students’ concerns about textbook costs.
That’s why they provide a variety of lower-cost options from which faculty can choose, including electronic books, black-and-white editions, custom books and abbreviated editions.
Keep in mind too that textbook costs still represent less than 5 percent of core higher education expenses for the average four-year college student, and are not rising as fast as other higher education costs such as tuition and student fees. According to Student Monitor, an independent student research service, the average college student spent $644 on textbooks during the last academic year.
New alternatives and an expanding range of technologies are helping more students pass their courses, stay in school and graduate sooner, saving students time and money while improving their success rates.
Stacy Scarazzo Skelly
Assistant director for higher education, Association of American Publishers