TESTBOOK POLICY STILL UNDECIDED

Southeast Missouri State University's textbook rental policy remains an unsettled issue, with the university administration having yet to decide whether to adopt new rules.

The Faculty Senate three weeks ago recommended keeping the textbook rental system, but with some modifications including eliminating the university's textbook committee.

But student leaders favor retaining the textbook committee as a way of keeping in check the cost of textbook service operations and, in turn, the cost to students.

Art Wallhausen, assistant to the president at Southeast, said the Faculty Senate's recommendations were presented to the university's Administrative Council last week, but no action was taken.

"I think philosophically we would rely upon the recommendation of the Faculty Senate," said Wallhausen. "But financially we have to take a look at it."

The textbook recommendations are essentially those made in a majority report of the Textbook Services Task Force, a group set up by the senate to review the textbook operations.

The task force looked at whether to retain the current system in which students rent their textbooks or require students to purchase books.

Under current guidelines, faculty adopt a text for two years, are limited to one book per course, and all faculty teaching in that course must use the same text.

The Faculty Senate has recommended keeping the guidelines, but allowing exceptions to be granted at the department level.

Currently, such exceptions are granted by the university's textbook committee. The Faculty Senate has recommended eliminating the committee.

Student leaders have objected to the idea. The Student Senate Monday night approved a resolution calling for the university to keep the current system in which the textbook committee hears requests and decides whether to grant exceptions.

K.C. Martin, Student Government president, said he expects the issue will be discussed at next Tuesday's Administrative Council meeting.

Martin said that other than the textbook committee provision, the Student Senate resolution embraces the Faculty Senate's recommendations.

The Student Senate, he said, supports recommendations designed to make it more affordable for students to purchase textbooks.

For example, it's proposed that students wishing to purchase textbooks be allowed to apply the rental fee for a textbook toward the purchase price of that book.

Martin said student leaders are worried that giving university departments the power to grant exceptions to the textbook rules would result in faculty members changing textbooks more frequently.

That, in turn, said Martin, could lead to increased costs for operating textbook services. "It will cost more for textbook services and that cost will be passed on to the students in the form of higher textbook rental fees."

The university recently raised the rental fee $2, from $7 up to $9 a course. Officials are now talking of raising the charge again to $12 a course, Martin said.

In the face of ever-increasing student fees, Martin said student leaders are concerned about holding down textbook costs.

The textbook committee, he maintained, serves as "a deterrent" to faculty members constantly changing textbooks and adding to operating costs.

"In this instance, it (the committee) serves a very important function, especially for the students," he said.

If the textbook committee is retained, Martin said he will push to have the committee expanded to include student representation.