SCCC Bookstore Advisory Committee Meeting

December 3, 2009, 3pm

In attendance: Jeff Keever, Director of Auxiliary Services, George Gary, VP Administrative Services, Brigid McDevitt, Dean of Student Resources, Patti Thompson, Bookstore Manager, Susan Tsoglin, Program Assistant, Humanities and Social Sciences, Paula Amell, SCIE Program Coordinator, Aibek Turganbaev and Alarisse Do, Students

• Patti Thompson began the meeting with introductions.
• Jeff Keever read the committee’s mission statement: “The purpose of the Bookstore Advisory Committee is to strengthen the partnership between the bookstore and the campus community and to create an open forum for ideas and issues with regards to the bookstore and the role it plays on campus. The committee meets once per quarter to review ways to improve customer service to the campus community, to discuss any concerns that students, faculty or staff have about the operation, and to propose ways to improve communication between the bookstore and faculty in regards to book orders. One of the main objectives is to determine how we can lower the cost of textbooks for our students. The committee is comprised of students, faculty and staff chosen to reach areas where there have been concerns and where there is potential collaboration and growth.”
• Jeff briefly explained the relationship between Barnes and Noble and the college, that the SCCD receives a percentage back from the net sales at the bookstores, and that this money is returned to the Student Leadership departments, and helps to fund such student activities as graduation ceremonies.
• Patti briefly explained the necessity of faculty getting their book orders to the bookstore staff by the deadline, and that the sooner the bookstore knows a particular book will be used the following quarter, the better chance the students will get the maximum buyback price. Brigid suggested an email to faculty with late book orders as a reminder might help. Patti explained that it is now LAW that faculty MUST have their book orders in by at least 4 weeks before the quarter begins (unless a faculty member has been hired 4 weeks or less before the start of the quarter). Brigid also suggested a simple chart or graph showing the effect late book orders has on the price of texts to students would be very helpful.
• The issue of using Liquid Office as a vehicle for the book orders was raised. It was decided it might be best to survey the faculty as to which system of book ordering they would prefer. Patti suggested that any method is fine with her, as long as it meant the faculty would get their orders in on time.
• Patti solicited the assistance of the 2 students in attendance to help spread the word about buyback. It was decided the title “Cash for Books” was better than “Buyback”. The students agreed to get the word out via Facebook, as well as help creating posters for the event.
• The next meeting is to be scheduled for February, with hopefully some faculty in attendance, as there was none at this meeting.