First Faculty Council meeting to focus on textbook resources

The Bloomington Faculty Council will meet for its first time during the 2010-11 academic year at 3:30 p.m. today in the Indiana Memorial Union.

The faculty council is an elected body of representatives from the Bloomington campus. The council votes and decides on the campus academic mission, calendar, campus facilities, budgets and more.

Provost and Executive Vice President Karen Hanson and members of the board discuss issues on campus during the scheduled meetings during the semester.
The first meeting will address concerns about getting accurate, detailed textbook information to students.

The concerns are in response to the passing of the federal Higher Education Opportunity Act, which took effect July 1. The act requires colleges that receive federal aid to list required course materials for students during registration.

The goal is to give transparency to textbook options and prices so that students understand course costs before enrolling and are able to find the cheapest textbooks or materials possible.

The council will discuss how the IU Bookstore website can list other book retail outlets and sources for students.  

Faculty who are not members of the council can submit questions for Provost Hanson or President of the council, Erika Dowell, to the Faculty Council Office through e-mail at bfcoff@indiana.edu.

— Molly Johnson