Regarding the Included Special Fee Model for Course Materials

Regarding the IncludED special fee model for course materials

1  Whereas “Slashing Textbook Costs” is a key tenet of the Naab+Griggs Affordability platform, and

2  Whereas the university-wide Textbook Affordability Committee has been pursuing a number of strategies in order to reduce the costs of course materials, and

3  Whereas one strategy being pursued is IncludED, a special fee model in which expendable course materials are negotiated in bulk by the university on behalf of all students registered for the course, and

4  Whereas students are charged the IncludED fee directly on their bill and have immediate access to the materials rather than having to purchase it themselves, which has the added benefit of allowing financial aid to apply directly to material costs, and

5  Whereas IncludED applies only to consumable products that cannot be shared between students and are a required (graded) part of the course, such as WebAssign or Connect codes, and

6  Whereas the IncludED model has been piloted successfully in Chemistry classes and is being expanded to other large courses that use consumable course materials such as Math and Anatomy & Physiology, and

7  Whereas the IncludED model typically results in savings of 40-50% for each student, and

8  Whereas the new special fee approval process requires a presentation to a student governance body, which occurred on September 16, 2015 in Student Senate;

9  Therefore be it resolved that Student Government endorses the implementation of the IncludED special fee model for courses that fit the following requirements:

• The IncludED price constitutes savings to students by lowering the price of learning materials.

• The IncludED fee will be used to purchase required learning materials which are integral to successfully taking the course. The fee will not be charged for optional learning materials.

• The IncludED fee will not be charged for learning materials available through textbook rental, library loan, used copies, or other less expensive options. The IncludED fee is being charged for access to learning materials only available through a single new price, such as access to digital materials (“consumables”).

Respectfully Written & Submitted by, Respectfully Written & Endorsed by,

Andrew Griggs Andrew Naab

Student Body Vice-President Student Body President

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