From ahickma1@gladstone.uoregon.edu Wed Jan 14 16:32:50 2004 Return-Path: Received: from gladstone.uoregon.edu (root@gladstone.uoregon.edu [128.223.142.14]) by XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id i0F0Wmu0010116 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=EDH-RSA-DES-CBC3-SHA bits=168 verify=NOT); Wed, 14 Jan 2004 16:32:49 -0800 (PST) Received: from gladstone.uoregon.edu (roxen@localhost [127.0.0.1]) by gladstone.uoregon.edu (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id i0F0WTwb020071; Wed, 14 Jan 2004 16:32:30 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <200401150032.i0F0WTwb020071@gladstone.uoregon.edu> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit User-Agent: IMHO/0.98.3 (Webmail for Roxen) From: Arista Ann Hickman To: XXXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXX@XXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXXX@XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXX@XXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXX@XXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXX@XXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXX@XXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXX@XXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXX@XXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXX@XXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXX@XXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXX@XXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXXXX@XXXXX.XXX, XXXXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXX@XXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXX@XXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XX@XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXXX@XXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXXXXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXX@XXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXXX@XXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXX@XXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX, XXX@XXXXXXXX.XXXXXXX.XXX Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Originating-IP: [128.223.54.224] Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2004 16:32:27 -0800 Subject: Please Review and Advise Status: RO Dear Math Department Professor: I hope you had a relaxing break. As you probably know, OsPIRG is a student-directed advocacy group based here at the University of Oregon. We are writing to ask you to sign on to our attached letter as part of our Affordable Textbooks Campaign. OsPIRG is currently engaged in a statewide campaign that seeks way to reduce textbook costs for students. Specifically, we are attempting to adopt ways in which to increase the length of time that used (and less expensive) textbooks stay on the textbook market as well as ways to reduce the price of brand new textbooks. Both OsPIRG and CalPIRG regarding the costs and distribution of textbooks did an in-depth research project. They have found that a factor that diminishes the amount of time a used textbook remains viable is the frequency with which a new textbook edition is produced, since a new edition tends to make all older editions obsolete and unusable. Anecdotally, many faculty and students have expressed the opinion that the content differences between new and older textbook editions appear to be minimal and not worth the increased cost associated with having to purchase a textbook completely new. The reports also found that a factor that appears to increase the price of new textbooks are additional instructional materials, such as a workbook, or a CD, that often come bundled together in shrink wrap packaging with the core textbook. Many faculty and students have also expressed the opinion that the additional instructional material that are bundled together with the main text, while informational, are not ever used for the class. The authors of the report surveyed faculty who taught one of the top five most purchased textbooks in their Fall quarter classes and in total, over 150 faculty members from 13 schools in California and Oregon responded to the survey. The results of the survey indicate that the average student now spends almost $900/year on textbooks, and that prices have risen at twice the rate of inflation since 1996. Many faculty members expressed concern that one reason why textbooks have gotten so expensive is that publishers often produce new textbook editions with only cosmetic changes, forcing students to forgo the older, less expensive edition. In particular, widespread concern was found among mathematics faculty members that newer, more expensive editions of introductory calculus texts are needlessly produced, despite little to no change in the field since the end of the 19th century. A widely cited example is the popular introduction-to-calculus textbook, Calculus: Early Transcedentals, written by James Stewart and published by Brooks/Cole. The changes between the current edition (produced last year), and the previous edition (produced in 1999), are primarily cosmetic. The price difference, however, between a used copy of the previous edition ($97 on the average) and a new copy of the current edition ($137 on the average) is around $40 - quite significant to many students. In addition, Brooks/Cole offers the book online for $125 in the United States, but the equivalent of $65 (35 pounds) in England and $97 ($125 Canadian) in Canada. In total 77% of faculty surveyed thought that new editions they used were justified "never" to "half the time", and a full 40% thought that new editions were "rarely to never" justified. Finally, it was found that online textbooks is a promising way for publishers to lower the cost of textbooks, while maintaining or increasing their profit margin. Noted New York Times columnist Paul Krugman has just offered an online version of his textbook, and is promoting this practice in the industry. CALPIRG, and the other state PIRGs is calling on Brooks/Cole to modify its practices in the following ways: 1. Continue to publish the current edition of this textbook until there has been significantly new content in the field of calculus that would justify an update. 2. Establish a more transparent and fairer pricing scheme so that students in America are getting charged the same amount as their counterparts in other countries. 3. Disclose to faculty all of Brooks/Cole's products, their prices, and the length of time Brooks/Cole intends to keep the current editions of their textbooks and related instructional materials. 4. Encourage Brooks/Cole to produce Calculus: Early Transcedentals as an online textbook, and pass the cost savings on to students. While the extent of the problem is not limited to calculus texts or to Brooks/Cole, we think the problem is most egregiously demonstrated in this instance, so we believe that it is smartest to begin here, as a means to press for more industry wide changes. Obviously, this will only work if mathematics faculty members are supportive of this effort, and so we are working to fine tune our plans before we launch the campaign on January 29. On that date, we will release the findings of our survey and announce our effort aimed at Brooks/Cole. I've attached a draft of the letter that we are planning to circulate amongst mathematics faculty both here and at 100 other universities nationwide. I was hoping that you would be willing to review both documents and offer any comments, feedback and suggestions that come to mind. We are asking roughly 30 of your other colleagues on the West Coast for feedback as well. If you are interested in reviewing a draft copy of our report, I can forward that along to you as well (I assumed you'd be too busy for that). I recognize that the start of the quarter is a busy time for you; it would be greatly helpful if you were able to reply by Monday, January 19. I will phone to follow up, in case you would prefer simply to discuss your thoughts over the phone. I can be reached at (541) 346-4377. Thank you. Sincerely, Arista Hickman ******************************************* DRAFT - CONFIDENTIAL - DRAFT We, the undersigned mathematics faculty, are writing to express our concern with the cost of your undergraduate mathematics textbook and to respectfully request that your company take some simple steps to alleviate this problem. As you know, the cost of college textbooks has risen considerably in the last few years. Recent surveys done by the University of California (UC), the California Student Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG), and the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG) show that between 1996 and 2003, the average student's yearly textbook costs have risen from $642 to $898, a 40% increase, and two times the rate of inflation during that time period. Compounded with the overall recent increases in tuition and other college costs, we are increasingly concerned for our students' ability to either pay for college or to fully take advantage of all of the educational opportunities available to them while at college. Naturally, we would like to ensure that textbooks are priced as fairly as possible, and we are concerned with the cost of your introductory calculus textbook - Calculus: Early Transcedentals, Edition Five. We are generally satisfied with the actual content of the text. We are concerned, however, with a number of items: 1. The previous edition of the book (Edition Four) was out on the market for only three years before you produced the most current edition (Edition Five), in 2003. We believe that most of the changes made to the edition were not central to the field - indeed, the field of Calculus has not changed much since the end of the 19th century! This is significant to students' costs, because a student can buy a used version of the current edition for considerably less than a new edition. However, it is impossible for students to obtain used copies of this book when you produce a new edition. In addition, the unnecessary production of new textbook editions also inconveniences faculty members, who must spend time revising syllabi and other instructional materials to accommodate the "changes" to the text. 2. Your website offers the book for $125 in the United States, but for the equivalent of $65 (35 pounds) in England and for $97 ($125 Canadian) in Canada. In our mind, there is no reasonable explanation for this. We believe that you would be sympathetic to these issues, and so, as a remedy, we are asking your company to commit to the following changes in your publishing plan for the aforementioned textbook: 1. Continue to publish the current edition of this textbook until there has been significantly new content in the field of calculus that would justify an update. 2. Establish a more transparent and fairer pricing scheme so that students in America are getting charged the same amount as their counterparts in other countries. 3. Ensure that your sales materials and sales representatives disclose to faculty all of products, their prices, and the length of time Brooks/Cole intends to keep on the market the current editions of their textbooks and related instructional materials. 4. Produce Calculus: Early Transcedentals as an online textbook, and pass the cost savings on to students. College costs have risen dramatically in the past year. Subsequently, we believe that quick action must be taken to reduce students' costs in as many ways as reasonably possible. Therefore, we request your urgent action on this matter. Given the urgency of the matter, we are actively planning to base our future textbook orders on both the quality of the text and on the fairness of the text's price. We will also give strong consideration to the industry member who produces the first online version of this textbook. Given the high quality of your particular text, we hope that we can continue a relationship with your company for many years to come. Sincerely,