January 29, 1987 Correin' Page 3
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·SA Considers Bookstore Management Audit by Steven L. Brawley The paper, printing, profit Acccording to Klotzer, the one basis and discusses book prices ~ editor margin, and life time of the text, are bookstore bought the book at a 20% that the person comes away with a all factors involved when determin discount. The book was sold last better understanding of the , .. The University Bookstore is often ing the cost of books, according to Manual 'Co vers Costs semester for $47.95. process . .the target of numerous complaints Doug Taylor, who works for Follett During last semester, the "It is hard to convince people that this is not a money making busi t • concerning the high costs of Book Company. by Steven L. Brawley cut from the Anthropology publisher's price went up to $49.95. o textbooks. ness," Klotzer said. Follett buys used texts and pro editor Department budget, causing a She said it would buy it back from I,' With this in mind, the Student vides a service to bookstores, who dilemma. the student at half the cost of the The University Bookstore is an r Association is considering the can't return used books to publish Faced with a reduction in its increased price. auxiliary campus operation, with .feasibility of doing a management ing companies. budget, the Anthropology depart According to course professor Klotzer said the bookstore has half of its profits going to paying off t ,..audit of the bookstore. Students often seek out used ment is charging $15.40 for a lab and Anthropology department many cost factors involved in its the bond on the University Center I . SA President Ken Meyer ran for books; however, the bookstore has a manual-which costs only $2.80 chair Van Reidhead, he feels operation. She pointed out that often and the other half for bookstore 'office with a campaign promise to limited supply. to prepare-to cover the costs of guilty for having to charge so a restock fee is charged by improvements. ,look into bookstore reform. "We try to fill needs with used operating a class laboratory. much for the manual. publishers for books returned. Also, One improvement the bookstore •. " According to Meyer, the proposed books as often as we can, but sup The Anthropology course "The years of declining the bookstore must pay freight for audit will address the concern over plies are limited and the demand is "Human Origins" has a weekly book delivery. is considering for next year is budgets in relation to costs installing a computer system. how the bookstore is run. high," Langston said. one hour laboratory that accom finally hit us," Reidhead' said. The bookstore uses a "library . "We would relish the opportunity One of the biggest complaints the panies a three hour lecture rate" when it can order books ahead Last year, a complete renovation of the bookstore was completed. ;1' to show they are running a tight ship; bookstore receives is the amount of schedule. The decision to charge for the of time. However, this method does - ·if they aren't, we can see what money students received for used In previous years, the College manual to cover the lab costs was not offer insurance costs if books The bookstore rents its retail and should be done to make things bet books. of Arts and Sciences covered the are lost. The United Parcel Service office space in the University Cen is also used, but costs much more. ter and pays for its own utilities. ter," Meyer said. Case in point: UMSL student costs of operating the lab. See LAB, Page 3 . Two auditing firms are being con Kevin Polito said he paid $29 for a However, this year funds were Klotzer said foreign published Langston said the bookstore's t" sidered by the SA. Meyer said poss new book and after one semester's books, such as those used by the profit margin comes from the sale ible ways of funding the audit are use was only given $8.50 when he foreign language department, have of auxiliary items such as sweatshirts, with the bookstore being examined. , sold it back. "This is a service to students, who Jacqueline Klotzer, book depart a high cost due to shipping charges. breaking even on the sale of The bookstore is used to receiving used to have to keep them," ment supervisor, said prices "It was put back on the shelf for The bookstore said it hesitates to textbooks. ~ _s.crutiny regarding textbook Langston said. increase every semester. $24 which is a 182% mark up," preorder books too early, and prices. Using the text, " Intermidiate Meyer said the SA wants to look at Polito said. receive cheaper shipping. rates, Ken Langston, bookstore Bookstore officials say they try to The bookstore said that if it could Structural Analysis," which is the bookstore's personnel and its lmanager, said the rising costs of take each student and faculty mem published by McGraw Hill and used because of the possiblity of class use of work-studY students. address individuals complaints cancellations. , If i~xtbooks i.s frustrating, with the ber through the publishing process, by a UM-Rolla extension course as In addition to this, the SA is look concerning used book buybacks, but Klotzer said when the bookstore hIgh cost dIrectly attributed to the they would understand the skyroc an example, she explained this ing into the possibility of eliminat don't have the time to look at each sits down with people on a one on publishing companies. one. keting costs of the texts. process. ing taxes on bookstore purchases. f ~U. Center Director In Charge SABC <.by Laura J. Hopper reporter- Student Budgets Up In Air Bob Schmalfeld, who serves as "The biggest change we've made Activities Fees by Laura J. Hopper t III Director of the University Center is that the process will be more reporter and Student Activities for UMSL, fair and open," he said. "All Student said of his job, "One nice thing is meetings, including approp Activities that there are a variety of responsi The Student Activity Budget riations, are open to the public this ( ·bilities, which makes it very Committee has begun proceedings year." $15.52 0' attractive." for the 1987 -88 budget, with Changes were made, according Athletics I \ . ~ Schmaifeld has occupied his posi January 23 having been the to Meyer, in the Budget Commit tion at UMSL since 1982, after pre deadline for student organizations tee selection process. This pro ( $27 .04 /~~ $2.40* viously filling a wide variety of to submit their budget requests. cess involves applicants filling out .:positions and responsibilities, at a Last year's budget hearings a "demographic questionnaire", \ / University were marred by controversy, wide variety of universities. which, Meyer noted, asked ques \ / Center much of it stemming from charges Born in Chicago, Schmalfeld at tions such as "name, grade, class ~ I tended Knox College in Galesburg, of bias among members of the schedule ... ". $22.25 Committee, and complaints that I .,illinois, where he received a "We eliminated the second page ~ bac.h .0T's·{fegree j.nmusic e<luca the Budget Committee selection of the questionnaire," Meyer said. tion, while minoring in process was unfair. This page, used for last year's * Student Services communications. This year's committee, as of applicants, asked the prospective October of 1986, consisted of student organization had no more He followed this up with a committee members to select , than 2 members on the Clinetta Albers, Rob Dawes, Con '''graduate degree at Northwestern organizations which they felt committee. " nie Foster, Cassandra L Gay, University in guidance and counsel deserved priority funding. Noting that they'd accomplished ing, a degree which would later form Terrie Gillespie, Kevin Hupp, Applicants were then inter this feat, Meyer added, "Student the foundation for his career. Edward Kennedy, Ken Meyer and Scott Wedig, with Adrian Cor viewed by a subcommittee of the Association has only 2 members '. After graduation, Schmalfeld Student Association Executive on the committee, Rob Dawes said, "I served three years in' the nelius and Andrea Stewart serving Committee, which this year con and myself." Navy, on board a naval destroyer." as alternates. sisted of Ken Meyer, Rob Dawes, Another change, according to He returned to a more calm way of Bob Schmalfeld, Director of the Bob Schmalfeld and Robbyn Stewart. This commit Meyer, involved making what he life at Northwestern, serving as University Center and Student Ac tivities, will serve as the chairman tee made the final decisions. called " a good faith effort to have 'IIhead resident there during the 1956- oversees this area as well. "This This administrative change gives of the group, but will not have a Other changes were also an equal amount of minorities. We 57 school year. Schmalfeld a long and varied list of office will help you obtain space for necessary to eliminate complaints didn't have to go by a strict quota, This job set the precedent for a vote. duties. He serves as chairperson of your group to meet, as well as obtain Meyer, who also serves as Stu about the SAB C selection process. but we at least had to make the number of positions where the Student Services Fee Commit a catering service and Meyer said, "One group couldn't effort. " 'tlSchmalfeld presided over students dent Association president, said tee, which allocates funds to groups refreshments. " . the group hoped to avoid the tur be allowed to control the budget He noted that in the end, the and their affairs and activities. for the purpose of purchasing, as Schmalfeld's work leaves him lit process.