THE PENDULUM
NEWS
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 20, 2010 II PAGE 7
Barnes & Noble announces
textbook renting program
Jack Dodson
News Editor
Barnes & Noble announced
the trial-run of a new
textbook-renting program in
college campus shops across
the country. The program is
in its early stages, there has
been no decision on whether
the program will come to
Elon.
In addition to Elon, the
UNC Greensboro and High
Point University have Barnes &
Noble Booksellers for college
stores, but none of the stores
use the renting program.
According to Corporate
Communications Manager
Karen DiScala, who spoke on
behalf of Elon’s campus store,
the program is being tested at
UNC Wilmington.
“We have 25 different
schools operating our rental
program right now all over
the country, including UNC
Wilmington,” DiScala said.
“We will be expanding our
program to many more
schools in 2010, but the list
of schools has not yet been
determined."
Numerous Web sites have
made renting textbooks
online available for the past
few years, including Chegg.
comandCampusBookRentals.
com. Barnes & Noble will not
only offer textbook-renting
in store, but also through
its Web site at participating
college locations.
“I do not have any
information particular to
Elon but our rental program
does allow students to rent
their books online and pick
them up at the bookstore,”
DiScala said. “We are the only
national booksellers to offer
both options.”
Sophomore Aly Hignight
said she usually buys her
textbooks from online sellers
because of the better pricing
options. “I usually don't go
to the bookstore,” she said,
“I usually go to Amazon.com
and (alternative methods) like
that.”
She said she knows
people at Elon who use
Chegg.com. “One of my
friends mentioned it when
we were talking about
getting textbooks and how
expensive they are,” she
said.
According to DiScala,
the savings from Barnes &
Noble’s program is upwards
of 50 percent compared to
buying textbooks new.
“Textbooks rent for 42.5
percent (of the full list
price),” DiScala said. “For
example, a 100 dollar book
could be rented for 42.50
dollars. Students can pay for
their rental using any form
of tender, including student
financial aid.”
DiScala said the program
has been well-received so
far. “I can’t speak to Elon
students in particular but
we are finding that many
students are embracing this
program as it provides them
with another cost saving
option.”
Student Spending on Course Materials
Campus bookstores'
Web sites
Other
students/alumni
bookstores
Student-to-student
Websites
1%
SARAH COSTELLO | QrapMca Editor
Changing economy spurs changes in Hberal arts
Alexa Sykes
Reporter
In the current economic situation, many liberal
arts schools are looking to make their students’
educations more relevant in the work place.
Dr. Mary Wise, assistant vice-president of
academic affairs at Elon, said the primary purpose
of a liberal arts education is not to assist in the
job search, but to help young adults become better
thinkers and writers and to understand a variety
of perspectives.
“We are not a technical school, and we are not a
community college,” W'ise said. “Those are places
that would be most focused on helping students
get right into jobs.”
Wise noticed stark changes in some liberal arts
schools in the state of North Carolina, which are now
aiming to produce students who can immediately
enter the workforce. At Elon there are 58 required
hours of general studies curriculum. Liberal arts
are part of every students’ curriculum.
“Students should never regard their liberal
education courses as less important than the
courses in their major," Nancy Midgette, associate
provost, said. “The two areas work together to
provide all Elon graduates with a strong skills
base and strong content knowledge.”
Midgette agreed with Wise that a liberal
arts education prepares students to analyze
information and situations, communicate clearly
and be creative individuals.
“Employers who visit campus frequently tell
me that these skills are the most important ones
they look for,” Midgette said. “A student’s choice
of major does not need to dictate employment.”
Elon is still conscious of the marketplace, but
they have not made any substantial changes in the
curriculum as a result of the declining economy,
as some other liberal arts colleges have.
Wise said liberal arts colleges are not necessarily
concerned with responding to the whims of the
marketplace. “There are some truly liberal arts
schools that don’t even want to think about ‘will
you get a job at the end of this,’ or ‘how we are
preparing you for jobs’ -1 don’t think many people
understand this," she said.
This is not to say Elon does not have plans to
change or alter their curriculum in the future.
“This is a direction Elon has been moving toward
in the past decade,” Wise said. If anything were
to be modified, it would be the general studies 58
credit hours curriculum. Wise said. The general
studies 58 credit hours curriculum would be
modified the most, but no specific changes have
been established yet.
Elon currently has no plans to make their
curricula more career-oriented.
According to Wise, 20 percent of Elon students
major in communications, “These are people
who see themselves going into jobs, getting the
training here that will help them prepare for these
jobs,” Wise continued.
She said obtaining a degree in liberal arts alone
is not going to guarantee a job. “You’ve got to set
yourself off as a commodity,” Wise said. “This is
what I can do for you, because I have already done
it in some other place. Some of the graduates of
other schools may not be able to (say) this.”
Midgette added that Elon’s curriculum is very
dynamic and is constantly evolving. “Elon is
certainly attuned to the employment opportunities
for students.” she said. The university conducts
surveys of graduates nine months after graduation,
and again five years later. “We want to know what
field they are working in, and how their Elon
education helped them,” Midgette said. “I would
suggest that all of Elon’s majors are career-oriented
in that we want our students to feel prepared once
they graduate,” Midgette continued.
B
Students should never regard
their liberal education courses
as less important than the
courses in their major. The
two areas work together to
provide all Elon graduates with
a strong skills base and strong
content knowledge.
- Nancy Midgette
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