UNC takes a first step toward textbook affordability

College tuition is already expensive. Students should not have to pay artificially high prices for textbooks each semester as well.

NCPIRG’s student chapter at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill has advocated for affordable textbooks and the use of Open Educational Resources (openly licensed materials freely available on the internet). Recently, in response to NCPIRG students, nearly 300 professors signed a statement of support for affordable textbooks. Over the summer, the students helped professors employ software that states textbook and course material costs up front, allowing students to make better informed decisions on which classes to sign up for.

“The best way to save students money, and ensure that students have access to their materials on the first day of class, is actually to use easily affordable and accessible materials like open textbooks,” said Katie Craig, NCPIRG state director.

NCPIRG remains dedicated to reducing unnecessary textbook costs for all students and setting an example for other states to follow.

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Learn more about our campaigns to make higher education more affordable.