FRIDAY UPDATE Trustees plan to outsource IU Bookstore

Barnes and Noble College Booksellers will take over for all bookstores on the IU campuses beginning July 1. \nIU President Adam Herbert announced the decision Friday, May 4, at the IU board of trustees meeting. Herbert has accepted the staff recommendation from the task force headed by Terry Clapacs, IU vice president and chief administrative officer. The task force, which also included IU Student Association President Betsy Henke, reviewed and analyzed proposals from several potential bookstore operations.\nBased on proposals from TIS, Barnes and Noble, Follet and the internal IU bookstore operation, the task force chose two finalists — IU’s own bookstore operation and Barnes and Noble.\nIn the end, Barnes and Noble became the choice to enter into an agreement with IU for all campus bookstores beginning July 1.\nOutsourcing the IU campus bookstores to Barnes and Noble comes as the most recent decision concerning this topic since February, when the IU board of trustees outsourced four IU Motor Pool positions. \nThroughout the meeting, trustees made it clear that the decision was made in the best interest of IU students along with the full-time and part-time employees of the IU bookstore operations.\nIU trustee Sue Talbot especially expressed this concern for the IU family.\nAccording to a presentation made by Clapacs, financial analysis compiled indicated that Barnes and Noble operations would generate about $70 million in revenue for IU over a 10-year-period. A $5.5. million signing bonus is offered to IU on behalf of Barnes and Noble as well, with an additional $10.5 million in extra benefits to the University over the 10 years.\nProposals were reviewed by the task force in addition to external CPA and consulting firm Crowe Chizek of Indianapolis. \nBarnes and Noble will begin the process of transitioning to IU bookstores, and Herbert announced he would sign the contract in place. \nWith the contract also comes the investment on behalf of Barnes and Noble to build a facility to include a varsity shop and coffee shop in the south parking lot of Assembly Hall. The location would also serve as a bus stop for students.\nHenke agreed with the decision, saying this option, after discussion, best serves students and employees. \nThere were some dissenters among the crowd present to hear the decision. \nMilton Fisk spoke on behalf of the 6,000 people who signed a petition against outsourcing, expressing opposition to the proposal. Fisk said the decision did not represent input from the staff and those working at the bookstores.\nFor more information regarding the IU board of trustees' decision to outsource the IU campus bookstores and hand over the responsibilities to Barnes and Noble, read Monday’s Indiana Daily Student.