Textbook prices are always a hot issue for students and faculty alike, but now a new issue has arisen, coming to the attention of Associated Student Government.

ASG is currently looking at the issue of professors mandating students to buy their own textbooks they themselves have written for their classes, in turn making a profit.

The main book that is fueling this debate is the book written by professor Steve Murray required for Health and Wellness. The format of the class requires that students buy the textbook and turn in pages torn out of the back of the book rather than photocopying them. It is even required for students taking the online class to turn in the worksheets in the back of the book.

This issue first came to ASG’s attention after getting complaints and hearing students talk about not being able to sell the book back.

“We felt that it was in our realm of responsibility to take this on,” ASG Senate Leader Nick Lopez said. “We’re still doing internal research but we’re going to continue to pursue it.”

According to ASG Vice President Ryan Hendershot, one of the options they are looking at is going to professors in different departments and gathering signatures to gain support for this issue and changing the handbook to state that professors cannot gain profit from their books sold. Another option is donating the money to the school or to their specific department. The problem then, according to Hendershot, is that the professor is still indirectly benefiting from the sale of their book.

“It’s a question of a conflict of interest,” Hendershot said.
Mesa State President Tim Foster believes that there are good sides to each argument and an action is hard to define.

“It’s a fine line,” Foster said. “We have people that are talented and are able to write text books so we wouldn’t want to deprive students the right to use the books.”