LOUISIANA
COUNCIL OF STUDENT BODY PRESmENTS
REPRESENTINGOVER 195,000 STUDENTSSTATEWIDE
Textbook Affordability Resolution
ImprovingCollegeAccess
WHEREAS, we, the elected student body leaders of Louisiana's postsecondaryeducation institutions,
comprise the Council of Student Body Presidents,representingover one hundred ninety-five thousand
(195,000)students;and
WHEREAS, the rising cost of textbookshas becomea legitimateconcern of students of all postsecondary
public institutionsstate-andnationwide,'and
WHEREAS, according to the July 2005 study by the US. Government Accountability Office (College
Textbooks: Enhanced Offerings Appear to Drive Recent Price Increases), the average cost of books and
supplies, per first time, full time student at four-year institutions, represents nearly thirty percent [30%J of
tuition and fees, and seventy-sixpercent [76%J for students at two-year institutions; and
WHEREAS, according to a fall 2006 survey by the US. Public Interest ResearchGroup, seventy-one
percent (71%) of faculty surveyed stated that updating to new edition textboob, which creates new
expenses
for studentseachyear, is onlyjustified 'half thetime' or less;and
WHEREAS, accordingto the Bureau of Labor StatisticsProducer Price Index, the cost of textbookshas
risen atfour timesthe rate of inflation ratefor aiifinished goodssince1994,'and
WHEREAS,the rising costs of textbookS'
also stemsfrom supplementalmaterials that are bundledwith
required textbookS',
which are often unusedor unneeded;and
WHEREAS, according to May 2007 datafrom the Legislative Fiscal Office of the State of Louisiana
(LFO), annualtextbookcostsaveragenine hundredninety-eightdollars ($998)per student;and
WHEREAS, this rising cost inhibits access to higher education by studentsfrom low-income families,' and
WHEREAS,the rising cost of textbookshas increasedthe demandplaced on the resources of state and
federal governments,and collegesand universitiesas theystrive to adequatelydistribute need-and meritbasedjinanciaf.aid,' and
WHEREAS, the May 2007 CongressionalReport by the Advisory Committee on Student Financial
Assistance(Turn the Page: Making College TextbooksMore Affordable),supportsthe initiatives by thirtyfour (34) states nationwide that have successfullyimplementedinstitutional policies and legislation to
protect students
from theserising costs;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOL VBD, that we, the Council of Student Body Presidents, urge and request
that the Legislature of the State of Louisiana enact a resolution to charge the Louisiana Board of Regents to
diligently investigate the impact of rising textbook costs on Louisiana's postsecondary education students.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Legislature of the State of Louisiana urge and requestthe
Louisiana Board of Regents to collaborate with the Louisiana State University System, Louisiana
Communityand Technical College System,Southern University System,University of Louisiana System,
and the Council of Student Body Presidentsto jointly propose short- and long-term solutions to the
Legislature ofthe State ofLouisiana in a timelymanner.
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we, the Council of Student Body Presidents,
respectfullyencourageour State Legislature to utilize .the recommendations
from Louisiana's higher
educationcommunityto establishpolicies to significantly reduce the cost of textbookS'
for Louisiana's
postsecondaryeduc .n students.
Autho
\..-~
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Author
Cle
s (LouisianaDelta CommunityCollege)
LegislativeandAcademicAffairs Committee,Chairman
LouisianaCouncilof StudentBody Presidents
ExecutiveInitiatives Committee,Member
Louisiana Councilof StudentBody Presidents
ResolutionpassedMarch 9, 2008