Student says better communication about charging books needed
Issue date: 1/28/10 Section: News
By Christina Lee Bessell
Staff Writer
As of Monday, Jan. 19 students are not allowed to charge textbooks to their student accounts. I found one student who had received an email notice of this fact. However the majority of students on campus had no idea that they could no longer charge books.
I did not find out about this until I visited the bookstore with my roommate on Thursday, Jan. 21. Tiffany Winhold still had not purchased all of her textbooks for this semester. She was missing just one. Although the book had been ordered through the bookstore it did not come in until Jan. 19. Thursday was the first time Winhold had the opportunity to visit the bookstore since receiving an email saying that the book was in.
When we entered the bookstore I was surprised to find that the entire textbook section was chained off. Personnel at the store were quick to assist us. We were not allowed to cross the chain even to check prices and names of texts. However, personnel did quote a price but never asked what class Winhold needed a book for.
When I asked why the textbooks were chained off I learned for the first time that students were no longer allowed to charge books to their accounts. Whether or not students could charge books was decided by the business office not the bookstore. The bookstore could call the business office and check if students were allowed to charge books. The personnel stated that they had sent out an email informing students of this on Jan. 18.
Terry Barr the Accounts Receivable Coordinator says that the business office holds refund checks to students for 10 days after receiving student loans. This leaves the first week of each semester for students to charge textbooks to their student accounts in the campus bookstore. Before writing the checks the business office contacts the bookstore and asks if all the textbooks have come in for the semester.
Last semester, Fall 2009-2010, the business office held off writing the checks for two weeks because of textbooks coming late to the bookstore. This semester only ten days passed before the end of charging books was decided.
Staff Writer
As of Monday, Jan. 19 students are not allowed to charge textbooks to their student accounts. I found one student who had received an email notice of this fact. However the majority of students on campus had no idea that they could no longer charge books.
I did not find out about this until I visited the bookstore with my roommate on Thursday, Jan. 21. Tiffany Winhold still had not purchased all of her textbooks for this semester. She was missing just one. Although the book had been ordered through the bookstore it did not come in until Jan. 19. Thursday was the first time Winhold had the opportunity to visit the bookstore since receiving an email saying that the book was in.
When we entered the bookstore I was surprised to find that the entire textbook section was chained off. Personnel at the store were quick to assist us. We were not allowed to cross the chain even to check prices and names of texts. However, personnel did quote a price but never asked what class Winhold needed a book for.
When I asked why the textbooks were chained off I learned for the first time that students were no longer allowed to charge books to their accounts. Whether or not students could charge books was decided by the business office not the bookstore. The bookstore could call the business office and check if students were allowed to charge books. The personnel stated that they had sent out an email informing students of this on Jan. 18.
Terry Barr the Accounts Receivable Coordinator says that the business office holds refund checks to students for 10 days after receiving student loans. This leaves the first week of each semester for students to charge textbooks to their student accounts in the campus bookstore. Before writing the checks the business office contacts the bookstore and asks if all the textbooks have come in for the semester.
Last semester, Fall 2009-2010, the business office held off writing the checks for two weeks because of textbooks coming late to the bookstore. This semester only ten days passed before the end of charging books was decided.
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