Both Congress and that writers of the article have a lot to learn.
- My department doesn't have a board that gets lavished with millions of $$ to make decisions on what books to choose. I walk over to the university book store, tell them what book I want and that's it. I had a sales rep come by my office two weeks ago. He asked what I like about the book I'm using and what I wish I had in an ideal book. I might get a copy to preview next year. Many schools (and teaching hospitals) are starting to establish strict policies on "wining and dining". At Stanford, you cannot even accept a ball point pen with a company's logo on it. Zero gifts allowed.
- I'm not sure what the point of having "free market" in the classroom is? In a class of 200 people...do you want every student choosing the book they think is the best value and then the teacher has to decide what homework problems to assign? Or what order to teach the topics in?
- Most of the cost comes about when the printing companies decide to issue "a new and updated version". They do this b/c the market is already saturated with old/used books and they need more $$$. No problem with this, I understand they have to stay in business. Eventually it does become a problem for the department/bookstore to get copies of the older version and you have to make the switch.
- The university author is not a problem like described in the article. The "books" are usually just photocopies stapled together. Really this is the cheapest way to put together a course packet that has exactly what the instructor wants and usually costs only about $20.
- I'm not sure why Congress is involved. This is something a university or high school could solve on it's own and really help to sell itself by looking after the students.
