Individual Professors are allowed to choose to print their course ware at The Underground right?

I'm sure I've heard at least a few of my Professors acknowledge the high cost of textbooks/course ware and state that they ordered theirs from The Underground to lessen the cost.

If I'm correct and Professors get to choose where they print their course ware people should considering asking their Professors about getting it done at the Underground. It might not help you that term but maybe in future they'll use it an other students can save.

If not there is obviously someone who decides and clearly this is an issue students care about. Talk to your representatives about lobbying to have course ware produced by the Underground and lessen the cost passed on to students. I recall hearing a few Presidential hopefuls say they'll address this issue and nothing has come of it.

I have two professors (both in sociology) this semester who, instead of creating a CCW, just made a list of the required readings and told us they're all free on the internet. Definitely cuts the cost! One of them is also requiring us to read a couple chapters from the book he wrote, but instead of forcing us to buy it, he's just posting the chapters on ELM.

I think all professors have an awareness of the cost of CCW, but most just don't care.

The most I've ever paid for courseware was $180.

I was told by a professor last year that students actually pay twice for the same copywrite fees. It's in our tuition, and we pay it again when we buy the courseware. I've also heard that professors get a percent of each courseware bought for their class - I don't know if that's true.

Like AlienSummer said, I also have profs who just make lists of articles we need and we find them ourselves. Pretty much if an article is in courseware, then it is also online through the Mac library.

Originally Posted by huzaifa47

Apparently not, while me might think that they are super rich; McMaster has a Scheduled Deficit of $30-50 Million for the next Financial year.

The Upper Brass though will still get paid upwards of min $100,000 a year.

But that's really the case with Businesses all over the world. Even in the recession/Bankruptcy CEO's were demanding "Bonuses" *facepalm*

That doesn't really make sense. I know its a recession but that is precisely why enrollment in post secondary education has sky rocketed recently. So if they are losing money when there is a high demand for a university education, what in the world is happening when its normal or even declining?

Uh oh spaghetti-oh's

The university doesn't technically make money on courseware at all, Titles does. Titles is not really part of the university, they're a separate business.

The cost of courseware is determined mostly by how much the copyrighted materials cost in the first place. Then the cost of printing, binding, shipping, etc. is combined with that original cost, plus a percentage for margin.

I don't think anyone is trying to rip us off deliberately but rather that, as has been said, there's reasons for the expense. I would presume the profs either don't know, or don't remember when it comes time to order custom courseware that Underground is cheaper. Perhaps it would be a good idea to remind your prof about this option if your course had expensive courseware. This might not help you, but it might help future students.

Originally Posted by michelle

The university doesn't technically make money on courseware at all, Titles does. Titles is not really part of the university, they're a separate business.

The cost of courseware is determined mostly by how much the copyrighted materials cost in the first place. Then the cost of printing, binding, shipping, etc. is combined with that original cost, plus a percentage for margin.

If that's true, Titles is then paying the university for being able to sell all these things to students, and hence the university is still making money.

Originally Posted by arathbon

I don't think anyone is trying to rip us off deliberately but rather that, as has been said, there's reasons for the expense. I would presume the profs either don't know, or don't remember when it comes time to order custom courseware that Underground is cheaper. Perhaps it would be a good idea to remind your prof about this option if your course had expensive courseware. This might not help you, but it might help future students.

There are a lot of people trying to rip you off. Its a fact of life.

Originally Posted by michelle

The cost of courseware is determined mostly by how much the copyrighted materials cost in the first place.

Very true...a lot of my profs say they have started to use resources like JSTOR because they are more friendly to the ever delicate pocketbooks of today's students, thanks to the absence of printing, binding, etc. costs.

I wrote an article for a Hamiltonian blog in the summer on the rise of the Pirate Party just ahead of the European Parliamentary Elections. It would be interesting to see what they, and the other copyright-reform activists, have to say about this issue...

A little research is in order, I suppose

Originally Posted by EasternHeat

There are a lot of people trying to rip you off. Its a fact of life.

Yes but it doesn't mean everyone is

Let me clarify, I don't think Titles or the University are trying to rip us off.

Originally Posted by arathbon

Yes but it doesn't mean everyone is

Let me clarify, I don't think Titles or the University are trying to rip us off.

Haha well I didn't say everyone :p and I'm still skeptical.

Originally Posted by arathbon

Yes but it doesn't mean everyone is

Let me clarify, I don't think Titles or the University are trying to rip us off.

It depends on what you mean by "rip us off". I'm sure Titles/the university are charging much more than they need to, and not even more than just breaking even. I'm sure they could charge us less and still receive a hefty profit.

Originally Posted by Kathy2

It depends on what you mean by "rip us off". I'm sure Titles/the university are charging much more than they need to, and not even more than just breaking even. I'm sure they could charge us less and still receive a hefty profit.

http://titles.mcmaster.ca/text/textbookprices.htm

5% of the cost goes to the University via titles to fund student services. Now if the University did not get the money from textbooks we'd have to pay for the services via student fees.

that source is biased

Titles also gives upwards of $500,000 a year to the MSU.