Every term University students approach bookstore checkout counters clutching armfuls of expensive textbooks, many of which are authored by their class professors.
And whether those students think about it or not, many of those assigned readings yield royalties for the writer: their professor.
On the surface, a professor’s practice of assigning his or her own textbooks may seem unethical. They require students to buy it for class and then collect royalties from the book’s sale — in essence, paying themselves with student money.
But what seems wrong on the surface is a more complex issue.
Philosophy Professor Mark Johnson, who studies and teaches ethics, explained that there is no consensus on the ethical thing for professors to do, and the question of whether to accept royalties remains tough.
Some professors may choose to simply avoid the ethical quandary altogether by either distributing their royalties or by not taking them at all.
That’s what Assistant Professor of journalism Kim Sheehan opted to do. Sheehan authored a textbook for her Advertising and Society class that was published this fall; however, she decided to donate all of her profits to a journalism scholarship fund, telling her students about her decision in her syllabus.
“I certainly heard students talk about it,” she said. “I think it’s a valid criticism. I sort of signaled the students that it’s not the reason I was using the book.”
Johnson said he’s had colleagues who, like Sheehan, do the “most conservative and safe thing” by not accepting royalties for their books. Johnson himself assigned reading that he contributed to as an author, but in his case he used a college press that doesn’t charge for use of the material and pays no royalties.
“I haven’t had to deal with that moral dilemma,” he said.
Biology Professor Emeritus Frank Stahl authored a book about genetics, which he used for 12 years. He said that in order to avoid the question of accepting royalties, he had it printed by the campus press and only charged enough to cover publishing expenses.
“I think that’s the ideal way for a professor to publish a book for his course,” he said. “It strikes me as the obvious thing to do. I don’t know why professors in general wouldn’t do what I do.”
Journalism Professor Kyu Youm was highly critical of professors who receive royalties on the textbooks they assign to students.
“I think it’s professionally unethical, and that kind of thing should not be condoned, unless his textbook is the best in the whole world,” he said. “Some professors are using their textbooks because they are ego-inflated.”
Youm said teachers should distribute their royalties to students, especially when an instructor collects money from a book assigned to as many as 400 of his or her students. He said professors owe students an explanation as to why their book is used, especially when the cost is in the $100-dollar range. Youm himself worked on a text he assigned to his class, but he said he ensured it was the most affordable book available.
Still, other professors don’t have to worry about the question of accepting royalties — they simply don’t have wads of cash flying at them.
Associate Journalism Professor Tom Wheeler wrote a book for a class he teaches on manipulating media photos, but he doesn’t expect to get rich from its publication because the subject is a relatively new field.
“This is not the kind of book that’s going to be widely adopted in every journalism school,” Wheeler said.
Vice President for Academic Affairs Lorraine Davis echoed those same sentiments, adding she wasn’t concerned that professors may collect royalties.
“Some people believe that professors should not assign their own
textbooks because of the royalties that are attached to it,” she said. “Those are not usually significant.”
Students have conflicting perspectives on the practice.
“The ones that have their royalties go to a foundation I don’t mind,” sophomore Nicole Leseney said. “But the ones that have the royalties go back to them is a rather large conflict of interest.”
Dale Fishel, a senior studying environmental studies, said there is no guarantee to students that the book is worth the price when professors assign their own textbooks.
“I think if they put us in a position where we have to buy their books they ought to be reasonably priced,” he said.
Brian Swarts, a graduate student of international studies, said he’s never had a professor at the University assign their own text, but he’s known teachers at universities who have. He said it doesn’t matter who the author is if the textbook is a relevant, quality book.
“I think it’s part of their job,” he said. “I don’t think just because they make money off of it, it becomes unethical.”