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Bookstore Liaison Team (BLT) Update: Academic Year 2012-13
Introduction: This report is intended to provide an update on the work of the Bookstore Liaison Team
(BLT), and its role in supporting institutional functions, particularly student learning and effective
teaching.
Team charge: The BLT provides an administrative connection between the institution and the for-profit
Follett Bookstore servicing the College, with the intention of representing the College’s interests in this
relationship. This team develops and provides oversight to Bookstore-related processes that impact
students, faculty and the broader College mission. Most specifically, this team provides leadership in
assessing, developing and facilitating the textbook adoption and ordering process such that, to the
greatest extent possible, textbooks are available for students before the semester begins, and in a
manner consistent with the directives of relevant federal regulation (i.e., Higher Education Opportunity
Act (HEOA) of 2008).
The work of the BLT also helps assure the institution’s fulfillment of expectations for accreditation
established by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), specifically Criterion Three – Teaching and
Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support, and even more specifically, subsection 3.D.4, which states:
“The institution provides to students and instructors the infrastructure and resources necessary
to support effective teaching and learning.” (Higher Learning Commission - New Criteria for
Accreditation – Final Version, adopted February 24, 2012)
Team scope: The work of the BLT is primarily systemic and oriented toward developing, encouraging
and assessing process-level systems functioning. The BLT is not charged with the resolution of individual
textbook issues, as those are most appropriately handled at the level of the department head and
affected faculty member, supported by their operational associate dean, as needed.
BLT membership: Membership of the BLT intentionally draws from a representative diversity of the
campus community. During the 2012-13 Academic Year, members of the BLT were:
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Faculty: Nick Antonakis, Frank Conner, Laurie Foster, Eve Sidney, Karen Walker
Printing Services: Rachel Bower, Laura DeVries
Bookstore: Stuart Krulikoski and Hailey Mabrito (fall 2012); Jennifer Rockafellow (winter
2013)
Financial Services: Jim Peterson
Team coordinator: Mike Vargo (interim)
BLT operational processes: As noted, the primary role of the BLT is developing and facilitating the
textbook adoption and ordering process such that, to the greatest extent possible, textbooks are
available for students before the semester begins, and in a manner consistent with the directives of
relevant federal regulation. The following table details those processes and measurement of those
processes:
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Operational Processes
Completed for
AY 2012-13?
Comments
In conjunction with the Bookstore, the BLT sets the textbook
ordering calendar for each academic year and disseminates
this to the academic departments. This calendar establishes
the deadlines by which orders must be submitted.
yes
These dates were
updated and
disseminated for
2012-13
Textbook ordering dates are also incorporated into the DH-PD
working calendars developed each academic year to guide the
work of the department heads and program directors.
yes
Beginning in W 2012, the BLT publicizes Textbook Status
Updates (maintained by the bookstore) to enhance
communication and compliance. The BLT uses these
databases for regular communication with associate deans and
academic departments to encourage compliance with ordering
deadlines and provide information on current textbook status.
These updates include:
 Missing Adoptions List: a list of courses for which
departments have not identified a textbook.
 Textbook Status Report: a published list of textbooks
that have been ordered, but have yet to be received in
the bookstore.
 Semester Booklist – (preceding semester): the list of
books ordered in the preceding semester to be used as
a reference.
(Here is a link to the status updates page on the GRCC
webpage: http://cms.grcc.edu/TextbookStatus )
Yes (beginning
W12)
These dates were
incorporated into the
DH-PD working 201213 calendars
While these lists
were developed and
made available, they
were not consistently
kept updated by the
bookstore. This
diminished the
usefulness of these
databases in this
process. This was
significantly
improved when
Stuart Krulikoski left
the position, and
Jennifer Rockafellow
was tasked with this
responsibility.
Approximately 3 weeks after the beginning of the semester
(and additionally if needed), the BLT meets and reviews issues
related to the semester start-up.
yes
The BLT met to
review the start-up
of fall 2012; because
of scheduling
conflicts, the winter
review is calendared
for 2/25.
BLT outcome measures: In our ongoing effort to maintain and improve the effectiveness of the textbook
ordering process, the following table details our outcome measures and the results of our assessment of
these measures:
Outcome Measures*
Assessed
Results
A formal survey is sent to academic
departments to collect data on start-up
issues (e.g., late books, missing books,
wrong books). These data are tabulated
No for F 12, Yes
for W13
The bookstore failed terribly with the
fall 12 start-up; there were literally
scores of problems that resulted from
this failure. It was felt there was no
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and circulated to the BLT for review, and
then discussed in a semester debriefing
meeting.
need to add insult to this injury by
having faculty document these many,
many frustrations. This failure, after
careful consultation with the Follett
regional manager, ultimately
culminated in the removal of the
Bookstore manager and assistant
manager. The review for W13 was
conducted, and generally the results
were quite favorable, certainly a vast
improvement on the preceding
semester. A summary of these
comments is available upon request.
% of books identified when registration
yes/no
F 2012: 48.45
begins (HEOA guideline)
W 2013: 51.09
S2013: NA
% of books identified by first deadline
yes
F 2012: 7.40
W 2013: 25.00
S 2013: NA
% of books identified by final deadline
yes
F 2012: 81.90
W 2013: 99.94
S 2013: NA
% of books on shelf 2 weeks before
yes
F 2012: 90.00
semester begins
W 2013: 97.00
S 2013: NA
# of complaints received by bookstore
No/Yes
F 2012: Not measured by bookstore
W 2013: 40**
S 2013: NA
* Bookstore performance data are provided by the Bookstore’s textbook manager.
** These are categorized and detailed in attached documentation from Bookstore manager.
Current BLT challenges: The textbook adoption process has undergone significant renovation over the
last several semesters. The following are ongoing challenges that we will continue to address, as well as
progress toward resolution:
Current challenge
The Bookstore experienced a complete failure in
leadership and performance for Fall 12 start-up
The bookstore has struggled to live up to its
agreement to keep the databases, particularly the
missing adoptions list, updated and disseminated.
The online adoption application needs to be
Current status/resolution
Store manager and text manager were both fired
by Follett. The interim manager was markedly
more effective in this role. Follett is currently
interviewing to replace these two roles.
This has been discussed with Follett management
and Follett has pledged to improve this. The most
current iteration suggests this has improved
significantly.
A formal request has been made to Follett for
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modified so that orders can be placed more
efficiently.
these modifications. The regional manager says
this is in the works with their IT department.
The course-pack ordering/printing/delivery
process seems to be a perennial challenge.
We have identified some potential areas for
improvement and will continue to work through
these issues.
We are working with departments to encourage
the selection of a single departmental text. When
this isn’t possible, we have developed additional
time lines that should diminish the impact of this
variable on timely text availability.
Instructor-choice textbooks have caused regular
difficulty with text ordering deadlines because
adjunct instructors can be assigned quite late in
the enrollment period.