LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Expensive books and struggling students:

There are thousands of people in the same situation: You
don’t know their stories-but each of these stories would
make you cry. These are people struggling financially.
They work two or three jobs, trying to hang on, yearning
to be the first in their family to earn a degree and hoping
to climb out of debt in the years to come.

Too many of these people will drop out of college-you
don’t want to know their stories.

As the self-financed first in my family to attend a
university, I, too, am familiar with struggle firsthand. Last
fall, I saw addressing the textbook issue as important to
the reduction of costs. I talked to many students, faculty
members and booksellers. On Sept. 24, I asked VCU’s
Student Government Association Senate to encourage a
better process of selecting the official campus bookstore
and to learn more and develop a larger student voice in
that process.

On Oct. 8, The Commonwealth Times published an
article of mine (it ran as a “Letter to the Editor”), which
I had written in an attempt to generate student interest
in more competition and transparency in the bookselling
process. As you might guess, not much happened.

You might find these responses interesting:

“Nobody is discussing this and
it seems like an important issue!”
and “I am . surprised at the apathy
regarding this issue. Jibran asks a
lot of valid questions. It seems that
the management of the bookstore
is bathed in mystery. . The SGA
and the Commonwealth Times
should lead this discussion. . The
professors are making the choice of
books for us, the university decides
where we buy them, and Follett
decides the price.” Also: “This
seems like a major issue. Why is
it buried in the letter to the editor
section?” and “The author asks
some interesting questions . Why
isn’t (The CT) covering this?”

If you elect the Students for Positive
Change party to represent you,
I can assure you the SGA will be
involved more. The bookstore has
a captive market; it has no need to
spend money on advertising. (The
bookstore) hires cheap labor. Its
overhead should be low and those
savings should be passed on to you.
After speaking with off-campus
booksellers, I am sure that greater
competition would reduce book
prices. That’s positive change.

There are better ways. With
your help in the form of a strong
mandate in the upcoming election,
we will find many better ways.
Thousands strong, you are the
customers; your voices must be
heard. Thousands strong, if you
vote on March 25, 26 and 27, you
will be heard. You will change
your world. We are listening. As
your servant leaders, we will be
empowered by your action, and
from the bottom up – in many
ways – the university will never be
the same. Imagine the roar of ten
thousand voices! You will create
the VCU of tomorrow. This is
your time! Together, we are ready!
Actions Count at VCU!

Students for Positive Change