Otterbein University Student Government (OUSG) talked about free textbook initiatives and registration concerns on April 5. This was their final meeting before Inauguration.
On March 31, Allen Reichert, electronic access and government publication librarian, talked to OUSG about The Project Textbook Task Force. The committee's goal is to help students that have problems accessing textbooks.
Reichert quoted a student life survey, saying that the average student spends $385 on textbooks each semester.
"I think it's important to note that students often struggle with textbook costs and there are even a few cases when students that change their major because they couldn't afford their textbooks," said Reichert.
As for solutions Reichert said the Promise House offers emergency grants of $75. The Project Textbook Task Force has also been working on bettering the library reserves. Friends of the Library, a group dedicated to supporting library initiatives, has been working to create an endowment for textbooks on reserve.
"We are going to target high use and high priced textbooks," said Reichert.
Reichert also mentioned The Ohio Library and Information Network (OhioLINK), an online coalition of over 90 Ohio libraries that work together to provide people with nearly 50 million books and other library materials.
OhioLINK was mentioned again at the meeting on April 5 by Vice President Steven Schroeck, who talked to the senate faculty assembly a week prior.
"That [OhioLINK] might be something in the future that student government will help educate students on because it will save them money in the long run," said Schroeck.
OUSG also talked about student concerns about registering under the new three-credit hour model. The total hours required to graduate will be shifting from 126 to 120, but Schroeck said they were still unsure about how the hours for specific sections in majors will change.
"Right now, focus on the classes you are required to take, not so much the hours because there is still confusion about how it will transfer even at the CSS [Center for Student Success]," said Shroeck, who also works at the CSS. "The main thing we [CSS] have been telling students is to just follow your degree audit."
OUSG's new board will take over after Inauguration which is April 19 in the Campus Center at 6:30p.m.
