SR0692enr 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

09400SR0692 Enrolled LRB094 20000 NHT 57473 r

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 692

WHEREAS, Postsecondary education is increasingly an essential credential for success in the modern economy; and

WHEREAS, Affordability of a college degree is a growing concern to students, families, and State policymakers; and

WHEREAS, The cost of textbooks is a substantial and escalating burden for students; and

WHEREAS, Other states have undertaken legislative and administrative measures to curtail the rising expense of textbook purchases; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Board of Higher Education, in conjunction with the Illinois Community College Board and public universities and community colleges, shall conduct a thorough and comprehensive study of the cost and feasibility of implementing textbook rental programs at public universities and community colleges; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education shall explore the feasibility of various funding sources to establish a revolving fund to finance start-up costs for textbook rental programs at public universities and community colleges; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education shall examine measures considered or adopted in other states, including the unbundling of software or other supplementary materials from the sale of textbooks; the public listing of titles, prices, and ISBN numbers of required textbooks; and the disclosure of textbook costs to faculty; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education shall investigate the potential for technology to reduce textbook costs, including online book swaps, an electronic clearinghouse for the purchase of textbooks, and e-book alternatives to published textbooks; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education shall, for each of the issues set forth for investigation in this resolution: (1) solicit and report in its findings the views of private entities that currently operate bookstores either on behalf of or independent of one or more public universities or community colleges in this State, including, but not limited to, the National Association of College Stores, the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Follett Higher Education Group, and other entities operating as campus bookstore managers; and (2) solicit and report the views of textbook authors and publishers, including, but not limited to, the Association of American Publishers, the Association of American University Presses, postsecondary textbook publishers, and faculty representatives; and be it further; and

RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education, the Department of Revenue, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall thoroughly assess and report in the Board of Higher Education's findings the economic impact that current textbook purchasing arrangements and that a textbook rental program and other cost-saving alternatives would have on public universities and community colleges, State government, local governments, students, and private entities that currently operate bookstores either on behalf of or independent of one or more public universities or community colleges in this State; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education shall report its findings and recommendations to the chairpersons of the Higher Education and Appropriations III Committees of the Senate no later than January 15, 2007; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Governor, the chairperson of the Board of Higher Education, the chairperson of the Illinois Community College Board, and the president of each public university and community college in this State.