Textbook and Instructional Materials Affordability and Transparency

REGULATIONS OF THE

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

7.049 Textbook and Instructional Materials Affordability and Transparency.

(1)     Pursuant to Florida Board of Governors (BOG) Regulation 8.003 and section 1004.085, Florida Statutes, the University of Florida establishes the following textbook and instructional materials affordability procedures to minimize the cost of required or recommended textbooks and instructional materials for students while maintaining the quality of education and ensuring academic freedom.

(2)     Pursuant to BOG Regulation 8.003, the selection of textbooks and instructional materials shall be determined after cost-benefit analyses that enables students to obtain the highest quality textbooks and instructional materials at the lowest prices available by considering:

(a)     Purchasing digital textbooks in bulk;

(b)     Expanding the use of open-access textbooks and instructional materials;

(c)     Providing rental options for textbooks and instructional materials;

(d)     Increasing the availability and use of affordable digital textbooks and learning objects;

(e)     Developing mechanisms to assist in buying, renting, selling and sharing textbooks and instructional materials;

(f)     The length of time that textbooks and instructional materials remain in use; and

(g)    An evaluation of cost savings for textbooks and instructional materials which a student may realize if individual students are able to exercise opt-in or opt-out provisions for the purchase of the materials.

(3)     The Provost shall establish textbook and instructional material adoption deadlines for each term, which shall be no later than forty-five (45) days prior to the first day of class for such term.

(4)     Textbook adoption forms shall be timely filed by course instructors and incorporate:

(a)      The textbook and other instructional materials required for each course;

(b)      A declaration by the course instructor of the intent to use all required items ordered, including each individual item sold as part of a bundled package; and

(c)      In those cases in which a new edition of a textbook previously used by the instructor for the same course is adopted, a declaration that the use of the new edition is warranted taking into account the extent to which the new edition differs significantly and substantively from the edition previously used, the value of changing to the new edition, and the availability of the previous edition.

(5)     A request for an exception to a textbook adoption deadline shall be submitted in writing to the Office of Academic Affairs prior to the adoption deadline and shall provide a reasonable justification for the exception. No request need be submitted for courses and sections added to the course listing after the textbook adoption deadline.

(6)     Textbooks and other instructional materials in the textbook adoption forms filed by the adoption deadline will be posted on the bookstore website by a deadline date to be determined each semester by the Provost. The deadline date shall be set no later than forty-five (45) days prior to the first day of class for each term.

(7)     The list of required and recommended textbooks and instructional materials must:

(a)     Include the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) or other identifying information, which must include, at a minimum, all of the following: the title, all authors listed, publishers, edition number, copyright date, published date, and other relevant information necessary to identify the specific textbooks or instructional materials required and recommended for each course;

(b)     Be posted as early as is feasible but at least forty-five (45) days before the first day of class for each term;

(c)     Be searchable by the course subject, the course number, the course title, the name of the instructor of the course, the title of each assigned textbook or instructional material, and each author of an assigned textbook or instructional material;

(d)     Be easily downloadable by current and prospective students;

(e)     If a course is a general core course option identified pursuant to section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, the course syllabus must be included and contain the following:

• (1) The course curriculum
• (2) The goals, objectives, and student expectations of the course.
• (3) How student performance will be measured; and

(f)      Starting with postings for the fall 2022 term, the above information must remain posted in a public, searchable database for at least five academic years.

(8)     Determination of student ability to pay for textbooks and other instructional materials will be made through standard student financial aid eligibility assessments.

(9)     Students with confirmed financial aid eligibility may choose to enter into a deferred payment program to buy textbooks and other instructional materials up to the approved purchase limit at the designated campus bookstore or may apply for a short-term advance for textbook purchases.

(10)    Any right to take action, if warranted, in response to any course instructor’s failure to meet the requirements of this regulation, shall be the University’s and not that of any student.

(11)   The University Board of Trustees shall provide a report, by September 30 of each year, to the Chancellor of the State University System, in a format determined by the Chancellor, that details:

(a)     The selection process for high enrollment courses;

(b)     Specific initiatives of the institution designed to reduce the costs of textbooks and instructional materials;

(c)     Policies implemented regarding the posting of textbook and instructional materials for at least ninety-five percent (95%) of all courses and course sections forty-five (45) days before the first day of class;

(d)    The number of courses and course sections that were not able to meet the posting deadline for the previous academic year;

(e)     Compliance with the required components of the textbook and instructional materials list in paragraph (7); and

(f)     Any additional information determined by the Chancellor.

Authority:  BOG Regulation 1.001 and 8.003 and §1004.085, F.S.

History:  New 3-16-10, Amended 3-17-17, 12-9-22.