Earlier this semester, a manager at the University Bookstore told a Daily Helmsman reporter that no one would be talking to The Helmsman anymore because stories in the past have painted the store in a bad light. A bad light? How could The Helmsman paint possibly the most evil place on the entire U of M campus in a bad light??
But that's not the topic today. Today's column is about two organizations and their approach to trying to help stop the soaring cost of attending college.?
Organization No. 1 is the Faculty Senate, who oversees faculty issues on campus. The Faculty Senate voted unanimously to propose measures to reduce textbook prices at The University of Memphis.?
The Faculty Senate even approved a measure that calls on The University to take the estimated $1 million in revenue The U of M earns from their contract with Barnes & Nobles (The University Bookstore) and give it back to the bookstore so that the outrageous cost of buying a book can be lowered.?
Why would the Faculty Senate pass this measure when faculty members are not required to pay for textbooks used in their classes?
I guess because they care about students. They care about the phenomenon taking place throughout this country where millions of young adults are taking on large amounts of debt just so they can receive a college education.?
Now understand that it will be a cold day in Shirley Raines' office before The U of M takes $1 million in revenue and gives it back to the students who basically provided it in the first place, but at least there is someone on this campus who is trying to do something to help lessen the load.?
Now let's take a look at organization No. 2 - the Student Government Association.?
Thursday, SGA voted down a proposal to create a committee to investigate ways to lower textbook costs.?
Again, the organization set up to work with the administration on solving the needs of students voted against a bill that would look to find ways to save students money.?
To recap - Faculty Senators, who do not purchase textbooks, voted yes - SGA members, who do buy textbooks, voted no. How does this happen?
To be fair, there are several SGA members who wanted this proposal to pass, including Anthony White, who authored the bill.?
But nevertheless, the proposal was struck down, and SGA moved on to more important items.?
What SGA did approve was a bill that called for The U of M to place vending machines in the Panhellenic Building where the SGA meets and to allow a SGA committee the power to add and move vending machines as they see fit.?
So basically, unless you buy your new biology book out of a Pepsi machine, SGA isn't concerned? about textbook prices.?
Or maybe SGA doesn't think textbook prices are as big of a problem as not being able to buy a Mountain Dew at every corner.
Whether they do or not I can't say, but I can say that state governments around the country are taking action in order to help students.?
Last month, the great state of California passed legislation requiring college bookstores to disclose how much they mark up textbooks? and requiring publishers to list on the cover or inside the book any significant changes made in new editions.?
Now, imagine a world where The U of M existed in a state that had leaders who passed a similar law that benefited students like you and me.?
Imagine a world where The U of M's SGA didn't vote down proposals that could ultimately bring attention to Tennessee state legislators a very real problem.?
Imagine a world where students didn't have to be more than $20,000 in debt just to become better, more well-rounded and educated people.
