Academic Affairs is in the final stages of implementing a committee aimed at resolving the issue of textbook and course material affordability, a semester-long plan that one of the main topics at its Tuesday meeting.
Before being put in place, the proposal must first pass through the Academic Staff Executive Committee as well as the Faculty Senate.
Academic Affairs secured a spot on both of the committees’ agendas for the following week; it will present the idea to the Academic Staff Executive Committee on April 26 and finally the Faculty Senate on April 29.
This week, the committee is continuing to put together a convincing presentation for the Textbook Affordability Committee for the Academic Staff and Faculty bodies and plans to include examples of problems the new committee could work to solve as well as a sample of solutions to the affordability problem, such as the increased use of electronic textbooks.
Although Academic Affairs has been gathering signatures of professors who support the cause on a faculty petition, the committee is wary to include the petition in its presentation, as it has only been able to get about 15 professors to sign on.
Committee members said they hope to present a list of three students, three Academic Staff and three faculty members who might serve on the affordability committee next term to demonstrate the new committee is ready to be implemented.
Academic Affairs intern Zach Ivins also gave an overview of Free Application for Federal Student Aid Week, where 14 students initially signed up for the kickoff sessions in the Ogg Hall computer lab Monday, but only seven attended the event.
“This wasn’t the turnout we were expecting,” Ivins said.
Despite the low turnout, the committee also plans to institutionalize the event and draft a handbook on how to run the event for future committee members to follow.
The rest of the week, walk-in sessions are being held in the Student Activity Center every evening.
With help from some of the staff from the Financial Aid Office, the Academic Affairs Committee hosted one of the walk-in sessions yesterday, but only one student showed up for help.
However, the students who attended provided positive feedback on both of the Monday and Tuesday courses so far, according to the committee.
Ivins said students who attended the events said the amount of time allotted for the sessions was appropriate and overall the event was extremely helpful.
Some students also noted they would like to see more FAFSA sessions in the future, as well as more tax-specific help at the sessions.
The committee is also planning on moving the dates of the event up for the following school year’s FAFSA Week and they are also considering implementing more help sessions during other parts of the year as well.
“We definitely want to keep it alive next year,” Academic Affairs Chair Jonah Zinn said.
