“Politicians keep saying they need to reinvest in students. This is the perfect issue to begin to put their words into action,” said Brian Bromberek, academic affairs director

A student spends $900, on average, on books and supplies in a school year, according to the government accountability office. But the Student Association (SA) and fellow students have had enough and are continuing to try to combat the expenses with their plan, Textbook Early Adoption, TEA.

The program began at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee when Provost Rita Chang emailed professors to send in their textbook requests in April 2006 in hopes to save money for the students and the university.

There was 42.5 percent compliance at that time. Academic Affairs director Brian Bromberek and UWM Bookstore director Erik Hemmings revived the interest in TEA in the 2007 spring semester.

“The more time students have to buy their books, the more money students can save because they can shop around. It is just common sense,” Bromberek said.

Bromberek plans on distributing door hanger flyers distribution to notify professors about TEA in the early weeks of October and speaking to the deans of the different schools at UWM, asking them to encourage their professors to send in their textbook requests early.

In addition, SA will team up with WISPERG to lobby in Madison to get legislation passed in order for students to save money on books.

SA wants to propose a fact sheet requirement that publishers need to give to professors when selling new edition books. The fact sheets will include the changes made to the edition, the differential cost and other facts about the new published textbook.

Tyler Kristopeit, director of legislative affairs, began helping Bromberek this year.

“We need to talk civilly; not be the unruly students in a protest,” Kristopeit said.

There are several options that can relieve some of the financial burden. One option is known as “bundling” in the publishing industry. Bundling is when textbooks come with CDs and other education aids to jack up the price of textbooks.

Other options are to have more course readers made instead of buying many separate books. Also add the option of paper and hard cover books. According the Bromberek, rental books are not plausible because of UWM’s size.

Other states have different breaks for students on textbooks. For instance, in Vermont, California, Florida and Washington there is no sales tax on textbooks. In New York, parents and students can claim money spent on textbooks on income tax forms.

“Politicians keep saying they need to reinvest in students. This is the perfect issue to begin to put their words into action,” Bromberek said.

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