It was January 12th. As I handed the cashier my VISA I couldn't help but feel violated. Here I am in this fine institution of higher learning and I am being taken advantage of financially. As a business student I knew it would be better to shop around for books, but I had no time, and I figured I would make up for the cost by getting some overtime at work. Walking out of the store I couldn't help but feel disgusted at the cost of my "new" statistics book for BUAD 204. I was even debating returning it as I got into my car, but realizing that the shrink wrapped text came with SPSS 11.0 and the data files I needed for class I relented and drove home depressed.
When I got home I stuck the book on a shelf and left it there untouched, unopened for more than a week. Classes started and you would think I opened up the book, but no. I went to my BUAD 204 class without my stats book. I brushed up on long forgotten statistics and I relearned some Greek letters and how to pronounce them. It was a good day.
Today is January 23rd, exactly 11 days after purchasing my "new" "Statistics for Business and Economics 9th Edition." Only minutes ago I ripped open the shrink wrap to my new text. I was pleased to see the disk for SPSS 11.0, but that pleasure was soon washed away by the phrase "This software expires 13 months after it is installed." I thought that was real cute. Promise me a program to get me to buy the book, make me pay for that program a year later. At least the data files disk was included; this disk doesn't have an expiration date, lucky me. So all in all, on the day I decide to start my homework, I have come to realize I paid $139.75 plus tax for a new textbook, a program that expires in 13 months and some data files. Do you think this story is over? No, no, no, it is only the beginning.
I opened my "Statistics for Business and Economics 9th Edition." What happened next turned my melancholy mood into nothing less then blinding rage. As I flipped through the pages I found a syllabus and class notes from the University of Nebraska!! Why would my new book have a syllabus and a page of class notes inside of it! I paid the "new" $139.75 plus tax price for a book that was used last fall by a Cornhusker!
It is in my humble opinion that this is a bunch of (insert your favorite expletive). I have taken 43 classes here at Marquette as an undergrad; I am currently taking 3 classes as a graduate student and have 12 classes remaining. I used to buy books at BookMarq; I am going to guarantee none of my books will ever be purchased from there again. I am not going to Sweeny's either as I was burned two years ago returning a $90 book only getting $15 for it. I am disgusted by my current situation, a situation we as students share together.
Why should I pay new book prices for a text that was obviously used before? I purchased a $139.75 lie. I am going to end this viewpoint by making the following statement.
BookMarq and Sweeny's College Books take advantage of the university, faculty and students in order to turn a profit. They are not in the business of being a partner to higher education; they are in the business of profiting from those striving to provide it and those striving to achieve it. I am hereby boycotting both companies and am reaching out to the student body for help. I vow here and now to find a solution to this problem before I leave this campus. Those who know me realize I do not get angry often, I am infuriated by my situation but realize I have suffered less than many other students. Those of you wishing to discuss and research possible ways to force these two organizations into competitive and fair pricing please contact me. I am not joking; I will not leave campus until all students are treated fairly by both BookMarq and Sweeny's. If it means opening up my own bookstore then so be it. It is not wrong to turn a profit, but in my opinion it is wrong to do so at the expense of those trying to improve their lives through education.
Palacios is a graduate student in the College of Business.
This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Jan. 25 2005.