It is official-another fall semester has begun at UW-L. If it is hard to tell by the flow of students, boxes, and luggage entering campus, then it must have became clear while waiting in line to receive an armful of textbooks.
Amidst standing in line, receiving a list, and hunting down books, students may have forgotten that the textbook rental service-as well as the bookstore-is now being run by the Follett Higher Education Group rather than by UW-L itself.
According to Bob Hetzel, Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, "UW-L will be receiving a minimum guarantee of $165,000 each year from the Follett Higher Education Group which compares to about $30,000 that the bookstore earned this past year." In addition to this, FHEG will be investing $310,000 into bookstore renovations as well as $50,000 for a new computerized point-of-sale system.
According to Carlena Goddeau, UW-L bookstore manager, there isn't much of a noticeable difference in textbook rental or the university bookstore. Goddeau said the switch is being made "as seamlessly as possible."
So far the only noticeable changes are due to adjustments previously made by the University, not the company switch. The new format of textbook rental lists results from the switch the University made last year from Talon to Wings.
Students may also notice that the number of textbooks they receive per class has gone down, partly due to faculty using D2L and library references more.
Students may now have to purchase--rather than rent--more books this year, though. This change stems from a decision that books costing less than $35 must be purchased by students. However even with this change, Goddeau has not noticed that students are paying considerably more out of their own pockets. Lab books still account for the most materials requiring purchase.
An earlier plan being considered by University officials would have placed all books less than $50 in textbook rental.
Although the switch to Follett isn't causing a much different experience, students will begin to notice some positive changes in UW-L's bookstore. In addition to continuing to accept Tower Tender and Visa, students making purchases from the bookstore will now be able to use Master Card and American Express as well.
Students will also see more trendy apparel make its way into the bookstore along with UW-L classics. Follett is also into sustainability. As a result, students may have noticed the Elephant Poop notebooks and folders for sale-products literally made from recycled elephant droppings.
While it was a major change for UW-L, Chancellor Joe Gow said the budget cuts revealed earlier this year made it necessary for the University to make the adjustment. Goddeau, who graduated from UW-L herself, is excited for the changes that are underway.
The Follett Higher Education Group runs over 830 campus textbook services in the U.S. and Canada; however UW-L will be the first university where the company will run both textbook rental and the campus bookstore.
The FHEG will be using UW-La Crosse to help understand the amount of textbooks needed in a situation where a majority of textbooks are rented rather than purchased. This information will be used to help more campuses switch to textbook rental services, still relatively rare among universities.
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