High Prices. Who's to Blame?

It is a traditional occurrence at the beginning of every term. You’re at home sitting on your couch reading when the front door swings open and your disgruntled roommate comes storming in. “A hundred and sixty six, and I bet they won’t even buy them back.” He says removing two paperback books from the familiar orange and black bookstore bag. “This is only for one class too….”

Generally as students we wonder why the cost of our education is so expensive. Tuition itself is hard to manage and with growing transportation, rent, and food costs every penny counts. With this fact in mind after shelling out the four hundred plus to take a class why are we paying another two hundred for a small work book and a paperback text book?

Like many other students I blamed the book store as I walked home with a bag of books, my wallet crying out in agony. Questions needed to be answered and James Howard manager of the Oregon State Bookstore’s text book department was more than willing to oblige. “I operate the textbook department as a "cost recovery operation"” he declares. As was explained the brief rundown of the business is as follows. James writes “The publisher charges the Bookstore a price for a book. That price the net price comes out to be 75% of what the book will cost on the shelf. The bookstore operates at a nominal margin of 25% - which added to the net price equals 100%, or what the book retails for on the shelf. However, the Bookstore discounts the student purchase 8% at point of purchase.” Apparently that 8% discount is the bookstore’s way of returning any profit to the student. “The OSU Bookstore is student and faculty governed institution. The students and faculty/staff of OSU collectively "own" the Bookstore.” My questions were answered.

So one may ask who’s to blame for the high prices. The answer is simple. The publishers set the prices and come out with new editions on an average every two years to kill the used book market. Upon realization of these facts, one student asks “So why am I sitting here broke over some hundred level work book, stuck eating Ramen, when I can go to borders and buy The Art of War for twenty bucks?” Why indeed. In this student's opinion this situation needs to be addressed. It is a shame that in this modern day in this nation our education should come come with such a hefty price tag.