Opinion: Professors should obey university policy and cease from selling their desk copy books to visiting book buyers. (Page 3) The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916
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CAMPUS COMMUTE
New sidewalk to be built on Asp Avenue OU construction plans will benefit Traditions East and Kraettli lodgers
Congress, Tsagli consulted with other congress members about the issue. Tsagli and other congress members decided to contact the city of Norman about constructing a RACHAEL MONTGOMERY new sidewalk, but were told it was not under their Campus Reporter jurisdiction. They then went to Brian Ellis, director Sooners should be able to walk along a new side- of OU’s Facilities Management, who advised Tsagli walk on Asp Avenue between Lloyd Noble Center to write a resolution proposing to construct a new and Traditions East Apartments and sidewalk. Kraettli Apartments by fall 2014. The resolution passed “By the beginning Undergraduate There is a short distance without Student Congress of the fall 2014 a sidewalk next to the road at that at its Nov. 12 meeting, and it is now location, so students living in those semester, we’ll have being reviewed by OU administraapartments must walk or bike to tion, Tsagli said. campus or to the bus stop at Lloyd something in place.” Once the resolution is approved Noble Center in the grass or on the by OU administration, the plan will BRIAN ELLIS, street. be sent to engineers, and a budget DIRECTOR OF OU’S FACILITIES In the spring, international secan be made so OU’s Landscape and MANAGEMENT curity studies senior Eyram Tsagli Grounds department can proceed CHRIS JAMES/ THE DAILY noticed how the lack of sidewalk was disadvanta- with constructing the new sidewalk, Ellis said. geous and even dangerous for students living in that “By the beginning of the fall (2014) semester, we’ll Student Congress is requesting a new walkway from Traditions East and Kraettli apartments to Lloyd Noble Center. area. As a representative for Undergraduate Student have something in place,” he said.
BLACK MARKET BOOKS
CONVOCATION
Fete to honor winter grads Ceremonies will present diplomas SIMENG DAI
Campus Reporter
copy for personal profit,” Mergler said. OU’s Faculty Handbook states that professors are allowed to accept these “desk copies,” or sample copies, of textbooks and instructional materials, provided that the professors or the academic unit don’t sell the copies, according to Section 4.25.1 (B) of the handbook. Mergler said she hasn’t heard of any instances of professors selling back books in at least two decades. She said about 30 years ago, it was very common – book buyers would come to campus with trucks to load the books into. However, even if they’re in smaller numbers, book buyers do continue to come around, such as Faith Conaway with Bluebird Book Buyers. Conaway sent an email on Nov. 21 asking for any
December graduates can have their names announced, their pictures taken and their diploma covers presented by their college deans at convocation ceremonies on Dec. 13 and 14. The convocation ceremony for OU’s largest college, the College of Arts and Sciences, will take place at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Lloyd Noble Center. The ceremonies for each college will take place at different locations and times. A complete list of ceremonies for each college can be found online at the Graduation Office website. Each college holds convocation ceremonies in May and December every year to provide an opportunity for students to celebrate graduation with their respective colleges, said Becky Heeney, the director of OU’s Graduation Office. In the spring, OU holds the university-wide graduation commencement ceremony to officially confer the degrees of students who graduated during the summer, fall and spring of that academic year, Heeney said.
SEE RESALE PAGE 2
SEE GRADUATES PAGE 2
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS JAMES/ THE DAILY
Professor textbook copies are often given to professors and are not for resale but this doesn’t stop the practice.
Buyers hound faculty for textbook desk copies Professors are not allowed to sell sample copies of books for profit BENNETT HALL & ARIANNA PICKARD Campus Reporter & Campus Editor
Book buyers continue to visit OU’s campus, asking if professors would like to sell any of their extra or outdated textbooks, even though university policy prohibits professors from selling books they’ve received for free. Toward the end of each semester, professors start hearing from businesses interested in buying used textbooks. These book buyers will knock on office doors and send out emails, asking OU faculty if they would like to sell any extra textbooks, even if they’re previous editions or
older editions. “I can’t speak for my colleagues, but I’m aware that a couple of used book dealers contact faculty from time to time, seeking to buy old textbooks,” said public relations professor Robert Pritchard in an email. There’s no problem with professors making money off used books they purchased themselves, but they would violate university policy if they sold these “book dealers” copies of textbooks they received for free from publishers. Textbook publishers will sometimes provide instructors with desk copies of an adopted textbook, said Senior Vice President and Provost Nancy Mergler in an email. “Any instructional faculty member who receives a free desk copy should not resell this desk
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