In an effort to help college students manage burdensome book bills, a federal law that takes effect in July will require colleges to give students information about textbook prices in course listings.
A proposal before the UW Board of Regents next week would change the University of Wisconsin System policies on textbooks to comply with the new federal law.
Students spend an average of $900 a year on textbooks, according to U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups.
Under the new rules, colleges must list the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and retail price information of required and recommended texts in the course guide that students use to register for courses.
The idea is that students can use the cost information to help them decide which courses to take.
For the past year, the UW System has been working under interim guidelines to help students manage costs. The guidelines encourage professors to identify textbooks early, ask that instructors use the same textbooks for multiple semesters, and suggest other creative ways to lessen costs such as textbook swaps and rental programs.
