Textbook Order Policy

Policy Statement

Faculty are encouraged to adopt the most appropriate textbook for content and student learning outcomes of the course. The President has the sole authority to sign and approve any contract for “specialty textbooks” or textbooks customized for use only at Shaw University. No University department or member of a department may sign any contract directly. The University does not assume any part of a contract, nor guarantee any part of a contract which is not approved and signed by the President.

Purpose Statement

To maximize the affordability of higher education as related to escalating textbook costs, the United States Congress through the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 legislated corrective actions to be taken by publishers and vendors of textbooks and by program directors and instructors who require the use of specified textbooks. The Higher Education Opportunity Act establishes four requirements in which Shaw University and other parties affected by them must be in compliance by July 1, 2010.

1. ​Textbook publishers are to make available information concerning the contents of new editions or revised editions of their textbooks in order to facilitate faculty evaluation of the substantive differences between the new version and the previous one.

2. An instructor, program director, or committee making the decision on whether the new version of the textbook is to be required for a course (or sections thereof) is obliged to determine whether the substantive differences between it and a previous version warrant a difference in cost to the student.

3. Book vendors are to have timely access to a listing of required textbooks. The list should appear far enough in advance of the beginning of the term so that the vendors will be able to purchasenationally and locally and then resell as many used one as possible, benefiting thus both the students who sell and those who buy them.

4. A timely listing of required textbooks is to be accessible to students so that they may (a) determine the total costs of particular courses when considering the ones for which they may register and (b) locate the lowest-priced copies of the textbooks required for the courses in which they have enrolled.

Procedures

Textbooks – Selection and Orders

1. The selection and adoption of textbooks and course materials should involve the faculty members teaching the course.
2. Instructors will submit one Textbook Adoption Form for each course, listing all books required for that course. The Form should be completed to include: semester, department, course number, section number, course title, instructor’s name, program director, campus phone, e-mail address, estimated enrollment, submission date, author or editor, title of book, edition, copyright, publisher or source, ISBN number, and if book is required or optional.
3. If no textbook is used, the Form should be marked “NO TEXT” or the Department Chair may submit to the Dean a list of all NO-TEXT courses.
4. If a bundle is used, instructors should indicate in the title that it is a bundle and provide the bundle ISBN. Below the bundle description, each individual bundle component should be listed.
5. Instructors are asked to name the form after the class, i.e., for English 101 for spring 2011, the file should be named “ENG101SPRING2011.XLS”
6. The Department Chair should e-mail this Form as an attachment to the Bookstore. In addition to the e-mail, each Department Chair will present a hard copy of each textbook order and a list of courses for which textbook orders are made to the Bookstore for signature signifying receipt of the textbook orders.
7. The Department Chair will submit a copy of the Textbook Adoption Form for each course that is listed in the University Schedule of Classes and the appropriate signature sheets to the Dean. The Dean will account for a textbook order form for each course and verification of receipt by the Bookstore. Further, the Dean will submit textbook order information to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, as requested.
8. A two-year minimum text adoption policy will be assumed on all adoptions unless otherwise indicated by the Department Chair at the time of the adoption. This two-year policy is necessary in order to give the greatest economical advantage to Shaw University students in buy-back situations.
9. In order for the Bookstore to more efficiently serve faculty and students, requests for textbook changes must be submitted at least one full semester before the new texts are desired.
10. Supplementary “required” and/or “optional” books, supplies, etc. must be approved by the Department Chair.
11. The Intellectual Property Policy, as adopted, shall apply to all faculty, staff, students, and to anyone using University facilities or supervised by University personnel. Individuals employed by, enrolled in, or using University facilities agree to abide by this policy as a condition of their employment.

Intellectual Property Policy

Any and all monetary revenues derived from a patent of invention shall be paid to the University, which shall retain fifty percent (50%) and pay fifty percent (50%) (in equal shares) to the Developer(s). Instructors may not collect fees from students and/or may not sell any books, or supplies, etc., directly to students.

Calendar for Textbook Orders

• Summer classes: Textbook orders due in Bookstore by February 15, when the course registration “window” opens.
• Fall classes: Textbook orders due in Bookstore by February 15, when the course registration “window” opens.
• Spring classes: Textbook orders due in Bookstore by October 1, when the course registration “window” opens.

The Vice President for Academic Affairs will monitor compliance by all units and will take into account special conditions that Department Chairs and program directors view as legitimate reasons for not meeting textbook order deadlines.