OK - an update on this issue. I found out a text I'm using every semester is
changing editions mid-year (January). I inquired with both our bookstore and
the publisher about using the current edition for the Spring (esp. given that I
may be on sabbatical in the Fall) but was told if enough used copies were not
available (which is definitely possible) there wouldn't be enough new texts
("old" edition new) to supplement the deficit - I need about 60 total. Upon
inquiring with the publisher about perhaps customizing the brand new edition
(by eliminating chapters) I was told that the new edition might not be out
early enough to customize it, so I would probably have to customize the old
edition (I didn't know that they, or at least this company, literally
disassembles the bound text to do this - which seems like a real waste). So I
asked, "you have enough old editions to create a custom edition for 60
students?" The answer was "yes." "But you don't have enough old editions for
students to purchase - even to supplement the available used texts we would
have?" The answer was "uh, yes." A bit of dishonesty. It's called a "forced
roll." Though changing texts mid-academic year is a pain, I started looking at
doing so until I saw that other companies are doing similar.
Like Paul, I of course would "allow" older editions of texts in most
circumstances (some of my students do this anyway) but anyone who's tried this
knows the hassle, especially because assigned reading do not line up with these
students' texts. Plus, students can bomb one or more exam questions because of
even minute changes in editions. It's not the worst thing in the world, but
some students struggle enough without having these additional barriers.
Sigh.
Dean M. Amadio, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Siena College, Psychology Department
432 Roger Bacon Hall
515 Loudon Rd.
Loudonville, NY 12211
Phone: (518) 782-6768
Fax: (518) 783-2986
>Subject: Re: Text edition changes mid-year
>From: Paul C Bernhardt <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:11:04 -0400
X-Message-Number: 37
Some instructors I know are allowing multiple editions of a given book
because the changes from edition to edition are usually quite small. While
the bookstore says that the book may not be available in sufficient
quantity, older editions are always available via Half.com and other
textbook resources. If you keep track of the changes so that you can know
that old editions are still of good use, you can save some students dozens
of dollars off each book, maybe even $100 per text. I hope to implement this
in the future as I see the textbooks I select march boldly down the 2 years
per edition path.
For instance, I guarantee that the text I use for Social Psych will advance
an edition for 2011 or 2012. I will allow the current edition when that
edition change comes. I know for sure that the text won't change enough to
matter between those two editions. One reason I know this is I happened to
examine the 4th edition previous to the current edition and noticed that the
writing in several passages was identical.
Paul Bernhardt
On 10/21/09 2:40 PM, "Amadio, Dean" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hello all. We're in the process of submitting textbook requests to our
> bookstore for the Spring, and both of my texts (from the same company) are in
> new editions starting in January. I know I've seen at least one other person
> raise a concern about this on this list or another list, but I cannot recall
> any discussion about it specifically. I'm told since my classes usually are
> heavily enrolled, it might be too difficult to obtain used, last editions for
> everyone - necessitating ordering the new edition instead. I know some
> companies have been changing editions mid-year for a while now, but this is my
> first experience with the issue. Is this mid-year change becoming more common?
> If so, is it related in any way to the upcoming federal law requiring academic
> institutions to post book prices, as I understand, as early as registration?
> It doesn't seem related, but perhaps I'm missing something. Is there some
> underlying financial motivation? I know a lot of us use the summer to
> acclimate to new editions and new texts, and mid-year changes are a lot harder
> to deal with I bet. I'm almost inclined to go with a different company
> completely, but if everyone's doing it I may have no choice!
>
> Dean M. Amadio
> Siena College
> [email protected]
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