Professors are asked to submit their textbook lists to the bookstore Wednesday, as part of the Vanderbilt Student Government's textbook initiative.
Although a similar date is enacted each year, VSG is actively working to encourage professors to adhere to this deadline, as professors currently face no repercussions for missing it. According to sophomore and Speaker of the Senate Aysha Malik, if professors abide by this deadline, the bookstore can buyback more books from students, and students can get more money back for their books. So far, the number of submitted booklists has tripled, and Malik attributes this increase to the initiative.
"We're going through it as a grassroots campaign," said Malik, who explained that VSG students are contacting undergraduate departments and urging them to submit their book lists by April 15. "We're reminding them and encourage them to take those steps."
In light of the economic recession, Malik explained the importance of the initiative, which ultimately lowers textbook prices.
"We realize students are looking for ways to cutback," she said.
Because professors are bogged down with planning for final exams and grading during this time, Malik said that often the deadline is not followed. In addition, professors may be "still debating" which textbooks they are going to use next semester.
Director of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Professor of English Mark Schoenfield said that with certain classes it is quite feasible for professors to be able to submit their booklists; however, he also recognized that if the professor wants to re-examine the course, it can be difficult to conduct the necessary research and revise the course by this time.
"We also learn about new books that might be useful throughout the year," Schoenfield added. "Of course, some courses get added later, for example, if there is additional student demand that a department realizes it can meet, and then more and sometimes different books would need to be ordered."
Although he said the bookstore does a good job of reminding the faculty, Schoenfield recognized that sometimes that is not enough.
"If a professor is caught between getting a book order in on time without having the course worked out, or working the course out and having the book order late, I suspect most faculty lean toward the latter," he said.
Sometimes faculty members do not turn in their booklists until mid-summer which prevents the bookstore from being able to buy back as many books as they could have if they were given the textbook lists in April.
Schoenfield said he speculated this was because professors were able to think through their course and incorporate student responses from the spring when given more time.
