Students at
Alamo Colleges in Texas said “No thanks” to an effort to save them money on
course materials.
A petition
signed by 1,000 students opposed the Alamo district’s plan to adopt the same
digital and open-source materials for large courses offered across multiple
campuses, a move designed to save money. Instead of buying print books
individually, students would pay a fee in advance to gain online access to
their reading materials.
But many
students didn’t think much of the plan, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Some told the newspaper
they didn’t have the funds to buy e-readers in order to be able to carry their
digital course materials to class, or anywhere else. Some preferred print
formats and didn’t want to be forced to study from a screen. Others said
they’ve been able to find traditional textbooks at affordable prices by
shopping around on their own.
The
district, which encompasses five community colleges, decided in January to go
ahead with the proposal despite complaints from faculty, who felt the
administration was taking away their right to select materials for the courses
they teach.