2008 Woodie Awards
Letter: Facts and Student Success Should Drive Discussion on College Textbooks
Issue date: 2/10/05 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
To the editor:
There are essential facts that were missed in your recent article on the price of college textbooks ["Students Battle Textbook Prices," February 3]. I understand and empathize with the financial pressure that rapidly rising tuition, increased student fees and textbook costs are placing on students and parents. Paying cash for college textbooks has been an emotional issue for as long as I can remember. It was for my children and me.
I cannot, however, accept the Public Interest Resource Group (PIRG) using deceptive information and distortions to grab headlines and mislead students and the public about college textbooks.
For example, it is dishonest for PIRG to use price increase statistics that pertain to the entire textbook market (K-12 as well as higher education) in a report focused on college textbook prices. PIRG claims in its recent report that the wholesale price of textbooks has gone up 62 percent since 1994 without making it absolutely clear that that percentage encompasses instructional materials used at the elementary, high school and college levels. Included in that number are such items as puzzles, toy blocks and art materials used by elementary students, and expensive lab supplies used in high schools.
In addition, PIRG attacks the practice of selling international texts at lower prices than those in the United States without understanding, or making it clear to readers, that overseas sales in poorer countries, while small, help to hold down the price of textbooks in America.
PIRG refuses to acknowledge the enormous range of low cost textbooks and instructional materials offered by publishers, and instead, attacks the best-selling textbooks in America. Those textbooks are best-sellers because faculty choose them knowing they will best meet their students' educational needs. Also, PIRG conveniently overlooked the fact that the faculty who make those choices are among the best educated and most sophisticated buyers in the United States and spend years reviewing textbooks before making their buying decisions.
There are numerous other examples of PIRG's misstatements or misunderstandings. The organization constantly cites research performed by its own student volunteers while ignoring or attacking contradictory or complementary experts from such recognized organizations as Zogby International, Student Monitor, the College Board and the R.R. Bowker Co.
For more than a year we have been trying to build understanding. We have offered to meet with PIRG members, to share information, to build student awareness of the value choices available to them, and to discuss ways to make textbooks more affordable. We have renewed our offers to meet with PIRG.
For now, we hope that facts will drive the discussions about college textbooks and that everyone will keep their eye on the prize; providing the best possible education to America's college students.
Patricia S. Schroeder
President and CEO
Association of American Publishers
There are essential facts that were missed in your recent article on the price of college textbooks ["Students Battle Textbook Prices," February 3]. I understand and empathize with the financial pressure that rapidly rising tuition, increased student fees and textbook costs are placing on students and parents. Paying cash for college textbooks has been an emotional issue for as long as I can remember. It was for my children and me.
I cannot, however, accept the Public Interest Resource Group (PIRG) using deceptive information and distortions to grab headlines and mislead students and the public about college textbooks.
For example, it is dishonest for PIRG to use price increase statistics that pertain to the entire textbook market (K-12 as well as higher education) in a report focused on college textbook prices. PIRG claims in its recent report that the wholesale price of textbooks has gone up 62 percent since 1994 without making it absolutely clear that that percentage encompasses instructional materials used at the elementary, high school and college levels. Included in that number are such items as puzzles, toy blocks and art materials used by elementary students, and expensive lab supplies used in high schools.
In addition, PIRG attacks the practice of selling international texts at lower prices than those in the United States without understanding, or making it clear to readers, that overseas sales in poorer countries, while small, help to hold down the price of textbooks in America.
PIRG refuses to acknowledge the enormous range of low cost textbooks and instructional materials offered by publishers, and instead, attacks the best-selling textbooks in America. Those textbooks are best-sellers because faculty choose them knowing they will best meet their students' educational needs. Also, PIRG conveniently overlooked the fact that the faculty who make those choices are among the best educated and most sophisticated buyers in the United States and spend years reviewing textbooks before making their buying decisions.
There are numerous other examples of PIRG's misstatements or misunderstandings. The organization constantly cites research performed by its own student volunteers while ignoring or attacking contradictory or complementary experts from such recognized organizations as Zogby International, Student Monitor, the College Board and the R.R. Bowker Co.
For more than a year we have been trying to build understanding. We have offered to meet with PIRG members, to share information, to build student awareness of the value choices available to them, and to discuss ways to make textbooks more affordable. We have renewed our offers to meet with PIRG.
For now, we hope that facts will drive the discussions about college textbooks and that everyone will keep their eye on the prize; providing the best possible education to America's college students.
Patricia S. Schroeder
President and CEO
Association of American Publishers