[Plsfaculty] FW: Textbook Affordability Campaign...

[Kenneth Feldmann]

The Dean would like us to consider agreeing to this textbook campaign. I
leave it to you to decide what you want to do about it.  

Kenneth A. Feldmann
Director and Professor
School of Plant Sciences
The University of Arizona
P.O. Box 210036
Tucson, Arizona 85721
Telephone: 520.621.1945
Fax: 520.621.7186
Email: feldmann at cals.arizona.edu
 
Visit our School website at www.cals.arizona.edu/pls
 
>
>To:     Deans, Faculty, and Staff
>
>From:   Christopher Nagata, ASUA Student Body President
>
>Date:   February 23, 2010
>
>
>Greetings Deans, Faculty, and Staff!
>
>My name is Christopher Nagata, Student Body President, and I am contacting
>you today with the hope that you will see the merits of our textbook
>campaign and support our cause with your assistance.
>
>As you are all well aware, the total cost of attendance continues to rise
as
>a result of our declining state appropriations, which presents significant
>financial barriers for students attaining their education. Furthermore, as
a
>member of our educational community, you recognize the importance of access
>to our universities.
>
>Last semester, the Faculty Senate, Associated Students of the University of
>Arizona Senate, and the University of Arizona Bookstores took bold steps to
>reduce the cost of textbooks by voting in support of a textbook letter of
>commitment. This letter of commitment, signed by faculty and staff members
>like you, heightens awareness and encourages better textbook practices. As
a
>signatory of this letter, faculty and staff members pledge to, wherever and
>whenever possible, submit their textbook lists to the bookstore by the
>prescribed buyback date and/or use their textbook for two consecutive years
>so that it maybe incorporated into the textbook rental program.
>
>We hope to work together and change the culture on campus so that textbooks
>can remain as affordable as possible for students. By no means do we feel
we
>are in a position to dictate course curriculum, but rather privileged to be
>in a position to collaborate in the spirit of shared responsibility.
>
>In just a matter of months, 26 of your colleagues have already pledged
their
>support by signing commitments and acknowledging their role in supporting
>our textbook campaign. We sincerely hope you will consider the merits of
>this textbook letter of commitment and join your colleagues in continuing
>making textbooks affordable while keeping the doors to education open for
>our students by signing our letter of commitment.
>
>Please pledge your support by signing our document and returning it to Dan
>Fitzgibbon at dfitzgib at email.arizona.edu. For more information please feel
>free to contact Dan Fitzgibbon at 520-621-2782. Thank you for your time and
>consideration.

David E. Cox, Ph.D.
The Bart Cardon Associate Dean, Academic Programs
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
University of Arizona

dcox at ag.arizona.edu
(520) 621-3612
(520) 621-8662 FAX