Sophomore Krystyn Hanselman finally had her turn at the busy University Bookstore cash register on Monday. As she handed over a check for $119, the bookstore erupted in a chorus of noise and Hanselman was surrounded by bookstore staff in bright yellow shirts blowing on duck lips.
Bookstore General Manager Jim Williams then gave her the good news: Hanselman was going to get all her fall term course books for free.
The bookstore began giving away books to 13 students on Monday, and the give-away will continue through tomorrow. Students are picked at random times and are then notified of their award after they pay for their books. The bookstore then reimburses them.
Williams said the students will get required textbooks worth up to $400; the store will use student schedules to determine which books are required.
“It was a complete surprise,” Hanselman said, looking a bit dazed. “(I felt) a little bit of embarrassment but a good kind not like I just messed up.”
Hanselman, who is taking 14 credits this term, added that she thought the book giveaway was an excellent idea.
“Obviously it’s going to save me a lot of money,” she said, adding that she’ll use the money to pay for other school-related expenses. “It’s going to reduce the stress you feel as a student.”
Aside from Hanselman, four other students also received free books on Monday. The bookstore is scheduled to give out books to five students today and three more on Tuesday. The bookstore Board of Directors proposed the idea in recognition of financial hardships students are facing under current economic conditions, according to a bookstore press release.
“The board — students, classified staff and faculty — were very much hearing the great need for students out there,” the bookstore’s Chief Financial Officer Rhonda Stoltz said. “Students and parents have been hit hard (by financial circumstances).”
The amount of money spent on books by each student varies considerably according to majors, Williams said. While only a few students will walk away with their books completely free, the bookstore gives a 10 percent discount on new and used textbooks to all students. He said the bookstore is one of the few in the country to offer this type of discount. The store also tries to cut student expenses by offering used books.
“We want students to know that we care,” Williams said. He added that the bookstore’s main aim is not to make a profit off of course books. He said that the bookstore works hard to ensure that students have their required books when they arrive for school each term.
“We’re here to be a partner in education,” he said.
In the last year, the 10 percent discounts amounted to $1,025,500 in savings.