Adopted by University System of Maryland Board of Regents February 13,
2009
University System of
Maryland Policy on Textbook Affordability Measures
I. Purpose
The University System of Maryland
Board of Regents recognizes that the rising cost of textbooks must be addressed
in order to maintain access and affordability for USM students. Therefore each degree-granting institution
shall implement the measures outlined in the following
policy.
II. Policy
- All
University System of Maryland degree-granting institutions shall post on
the institutional website ISBN, title, author, publisher, and edition for
required course material as soon as faculty members and the bookstore have
finalized the textbook selection but no later than May 1 for the fall
semester and December 1 for the spring semester. In the case that a course has not been assigned a faculty
member by the given deadline, textbook selection shall be conducted and
communicated to enrolled students expeditiously upon selection of the
materials.
- Institutional
bookstores shall provide faculty members who are placing book orders with
current information about the retail price of selected course materials.
- Faculty
teaching the same course for multiple semesters are encouraged to use the
same textbooks and course materials for multiple semesters to the extent
practicable and educationally sound.
- Faculty
should be encouraged to order new editions of textbooks only if necessary
and if older editions are not of comparable educational content. Faculty should list information
pertinent to previous editions which are of acceptable use, as described
in Section 1.
- Institutions
shall make faculty aware of the option to request unbundled versions of
textbook and course materials and of the price differential.
- Faculty
should order textbook bundles only if the supplements included with
textbooks are necessary to the curriculum and instruction.
- In the
case that a faculty member assigns bundled materials, the bookstore shall
make available both bundled and unbundled versions of the materials for
purchase. Institutions and
bookstores shall clarify on the bookstore website that in the case of the
assignment of bundled materials, students should purchase either the
bundled package or all required portions of the bundle individually.
- Faculty
should permit students to purchase electronic versions of textbooks when
available.
- Faculty
members should incorporate into course instruction the use of online
resources wherever feasible and prudent.
- Institutions
shall seek ways to lessen the financial hardship of college textbook
purchases, such as targeted scholarship and financial aid funds,
consideration of textbook rentals for introductory courses, consideration
of placing selected course materials on reserve in campus libraries when
practicable, and development of customized course materials.
III. Implementation
This policy shall be effective
beginning with the course materials assigned for the Fall 2009 semester.
Institutions shall include in
course evaluations, questions concerning the use and value of assigned
textbooks and other course materials.
Institutions should make faculty
aware of the provisions in this policy each semester.
The Council of University System
Presidents (CUSP), the Academic Affairs Advisory Council (AAAC), the University
System of Maryland Student Council(USMSC), and the Council of University System
Faculty (CUSF) shall work together to provide to the Chancellor periodic
reports on the impact and effectiveness of this policy.