Monmouth College is going to help its students pay "one of the hidden costs of college." Starting next fall, the cost of textbooks will be included in the college's tuition.
Mark Willhardt, Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs, says college officials were trying to come up with ways to help their students, and figured this change would have the most immediate impact.
"What we have been able to do is to fix a price point just under $1,000 that we believe, across the board, will allow our students to get the textbooks they need, allow the professor to provide the quality of the textbooks they want, and have it all be in one place so that our students can start the first day of class with all books in hand."
The college has worked out a deal with the Follett book store in Monmouth, so at the beginning of each semester students can walk in with their schedule, and walk out with the textbooks they'll need.
Willhardt says despite the availability of some class materials online, and textbook rental programs, many college classes these days still require textbooks.
