Books don't grow on trees

Though the first two weeks of the semester should be a time when students are excitedly trying out new professors and classes, it is an unpleasant reality that this time also causes us to tighten our belts and lay down bundles of cash for textbooks.

It is no secret that textbooks are exorbitantly expensive. No store in the area offers reasonable deals on books for class, and students from all majors, whether they need to buy a basketful of paperbacks or a single large tome, often find themselves having to spend $100 or more for a given class. The Columbia University Bookstore is notorious for overpricing its merchandise, and even Book Culture, which students typically feel is a worthier business because it’s “independent,” is not any better in this respect.

Students deal with this in a variety of ways. Some order much cheaper copies through Amazon and simply wait for their books to arrive, risking the possibility that they will not complete the first assignments in time. Some borrow their books from the library and even spend the extra time to photocopy the required pages. Some use the Columbia Bookstore’s new renting policy and take extra care in protecting the books to avoid paying fees. But the sad fact is that these are not always options, and some students are unable to afford certain classes, forgoing a beloved lecture because they simply cannot pay.

It is by no means our professors’ fault that books are so expensive. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the publishers and the book stores to provide affordable options for students. However, this is an issue of offering an equal opportunity for everyone to take the classes they need and want, and professors—not to mention the financial aid office—should do what they can to accommodate students from all different financial situations.

Some professors are better than others at making their classes wallet-friendly. Posting course materials on Courseworks is the easiest and by far the cheapest option for students. It enables us to access and print resources for class without having to pay for every single reading. It is true that the online approach presents difficulties, as copyright restrictions prevent professors from posting entire sources online. We would be remiss to suggest that professors compromise the quality of their teaching based on the limitations of the web. At the same time, professors who for some reason or another refuse to post online should at least consider this option. Additionally, professors should be open to having students bring in old or different editions for their textbooks. It may not make the class as efficient as it could be, but at least it would be more affordable.

In terms of the administration’s role in the price tag on our education, a relatively easy improvement would be for the Directory of Classes to list the probable books that students would need for the course, in addition to the prices being listed on Courseworks. This would enable students to decide before enrolling whether they would be willing to purchase class materials. It also goes without saying that improvements in financial aid packages would be a great help, though we understand this requires greater funds on the part of the University. Students on financial aid are currently allotted $2,750 per year for living expenses, but much of this must be used for the cost of basic, everyday life. Funds could also be used to expand the libraries’ collections, and the more copies of “The Republic” in Butler, the more students would be able to use this option.

So Columbia, please understand that many of us are poor college students. We only have so much money.