Policies and Procedures Manual

Chapter 2: Academics

02:10:00   Textbook Selection

It is the responsibility of faculty to review, select, and adopt appropriate textbooks and ancillary course materials to support course and program learning outcomes. Evaluation of learning materials, including textbooks, shall be included in annual curriculum and course evaluation processes. The adoption and/or revision of textbook and ancillary course materials shall be requested by the appropriate faculty member(s) and must be approved by the academic dean. Records of textbook and ancillary course materials adoption and revisions shall be maintained in the academic division office. The following must be considered in the adoption/revision process:

  1. Common textbooks and ancillary course materials must be selected for courses with multiple sections and multiple faculty members teaching the courses.
  2. Textbook and ancillary course materials shall be adopted for a minimum of two years, if appropriate by discipline area.
  3. In addition to consideration of content, appropriateness, and quality of learning materials, faculty members must document that student costs were evaluated. When factors such as quality and content are equivalent, then the lowest cost textbook and ancillary course materials shall be selected, unless approved by the vice president for Academic Affairs.
  4. Faculty members and academic deans shall consider alternative learning materials, such as online resources, as part of the textbook and ancillary course materials selection process.
  5. Faculty members and academic deans shall consider the method of ordering, bundling, and selling textbooks and ancillary course materials as part of the adoption/selection process.
  6. Faculty members and academic deans shall adhere to the textbook and ancillary course materials ordering procedures as adopted by the on-campus bookstore.
  7. Faculty members may place textbooks and ancillary course materials in the library for student use provided that these materials were supplied at no cost by the publisher.

The on-campus bookstore shall include the following as part of any contractual agreements for providing bookstore services to the college:

  1. The on-campus bookstore shall publish information regarding required and supplementary course materials through viable channels, including the college’s website, before classes begin each semester. The information shall include the International Standard Book Number (ISBN).
  2. The on-campus bookstore shall provide the student the option of purchasing textbooks and ancillary course materials in a non-bundled” format, if possible.
  3. The on-campus bookstore shall promote and publicize book buy-back programs.
  4. The on-campus bookstore shall disclose to faculty members on a per course basis the costs to students of purchasing the required textbooks and materials. Faculty members must acknowledge costs disclosures as part of the ordering process.
  5. The on-campus bookstore shall provide information to faculty concerning changes to textbook and ancillary course materials orders as appropriate, including the change of editions of an adopted text by the publisher.


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Divisional Review Responsibilities Checklist: Academic Affairs

Revision History: Nov. 2007; July 2011; May 2012