Playing the waiting game

The beginning of the semester is often times hectic for students as they wait in long lines at the University Bookstore only to find out the books they need for their classes aren’t available.

According to Texas House Bill 33, all Texas public universities are required to set a deadline for faculty to submit the textbook list for the upcoming semester in order for students to better prepare for their courses.

“The name and number of the textbook should be readily available when registering for the class so we have enough time to purchase the textbook,” said hotel and restaurant management junior Prashay Deo.

Each semester, the University sets its deadline and each year, the University has many professors that fail to submit their textbook list. If all faculty would comply and meet the deadlines, students would be able to get higher buy back rates for their used textbooks because the UH bookstore would know which books will be reused and be able to give students better rates.

With tuition prices rising, textbooks have become somewhat of a financial burden to students. If faculty were to submit their list on time, it would allow the bookstore more time to shop around for the best deals. In turn, students wouldn’t have to pay top dollar for some books they could have gotten for a fraction of the price.

At the start of the semester, professors hand out the syllabus with their expectations, textbook requirements and a calendar of exam dates. However, since most professors don’t submit their list on time, the textbooks are not in the bookstore and students don’t have an adequate amount of time to study by the time they get their hands on it.

“It makes it difficult for students because professors start lecturing the first week of class, and things start to pick up, but students can’t study because they don’t have the textbooks,” said Justina George, a biology and nutrition senior.

It’s quite easy for professors to let the University know what textbooks they will need, according to a press release issued last month. Professors have five convenient ways of letting the bookstore know what books they need: They can submit the request online, which is the fastest and easiest way; through email; by phone; mail or fax; or by directly dropping off the request at the bookstore.

The deadline for the summer 2013 session was Friday. Professors should make it a point to submit their lists on time so that students registering for the summer session can get their textbooks on time, especially since the summer sessions go by at a much faster pace.

“I hope professors put themselves in our shoes and make the textbook information available so students can have a heads up and be prepared when classes start,” George said.

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