EDITORIAL – States to regulate textbook prices

One hundred twenty-five Minnesota state legislators have proposed a bill that would tackle… One hundred twenty-five Minnesota state legislators have proposed a bill that would tackle an important issue for college students. The legislation is aimed at regulating the textbook publishing industry, which makes billions of dollars every year at the expense of less-than-affluent college students.

At least a dozen other states are also taking up the issue, according to an Associated Press report.

In particular, lawmakers are hoping to crack down on “bundling,” a packaging technique in which publishers shrink wrap several course materials – which often include unnecessary resources, such as a student solutions manual or software materials – together and charge students an “all in one” price that is typically significantly higher than what the price for a lone textbook would be.

This legislation is an important first step at combating the increasing price of higher education.

As students, we have an unusual relationship with the textbook industry. While there is no law forcing us to invest in a college textbook, we have to buy the books in order to receive a sufficient grade. Because of this relationship, textbook publishers have a hold over us. There might be competition between different publishers for college professors’ attentions, but ultimately we are forced to buy what the professors choose. Because of this relationship, it is reasonable that there should be government regulation of the industry.

Publishers claim that this type of legislation infringes upon their constitutional rights, ignoring the economics of textbook publishing.

But according to the report, textbook prices have tripled in the last 20 years – a trend that exceeds consumer inflation. According the U.S. Department of Labor, the buying power of $52 – the publishing industry’s estimated current average textbook price – in 2007 would be equal to around $28 in 1986.

The textbook industry has also claimed that relatively low circulation – in comparison with national bestselling books – is the reason they are forced to charge students high prices.

But again, the statistics don’t match. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, the enrollment in degree-seeking institutions rose by 17 percent between 1984 and 1994, and then increased by another 21 percent between 1994 and 2004. With enrollment in four year institutions at an all-time high, the circulation for college textbooks should be up, thus allowing publishers to lower prices.

States are also hoping to crack down on the short lifespan of the average textbook. In order to minimize the effect of the resale market, publishers typically release a “new edition” of a textbook every four years, even if the subject matter has gone relatively unchanged. Connecticut recently passed a transparency law that requires publishers to be more up front about their pricing and estimate how long an edition will be produced.

Legislators are not just holding the publishing companies accountable, however. All too often, professors require students to buy the newest edition of a textbook, along with several other resources, some of which might ultimately be hardly used in the course – and are easily accessible in library reserves. Part of the legislation would require that professors be more price-conscious when choosing educational materials.

We encourage the Pennsylvania state legislators to follow in the steps of Minnesota lawmakers and enact similar legislation, in order to work toward offering students an affordable and quality college education.