Porsche owner, tenured college professor, and text book author at tier 1 public university. There are a couple of university book sales models -- one where the department (usually by a committee or head) selects the book(s) for the core courses and the other, where I work, where faculty choose their own texts (I believe model 2 is more common). Authors do get a commission, not usually a lot, to write a book based on book sales. When I adopt a text I have two choices -- the first is to order the most recent edition. Here, when students go to re-sell the text they can get the best price (still not a lot). Or, I can choose the previous edition, if it is available, have students pay a lower price but also they will get a lower price when they re-sell the text (many book buyers will not buy an edition if a newer one is in print). It's a bit of a difficult choice. And you are right -- there's often not much difference in each edition. I assign readings based on chapter numbers. If students want to buy an older edition they can but it's up to them to make sure they do the correct reading!! University text books is one of the largest issues on campus. It's actually a complex process (material packaged with dvds, others not). It's definitely ugly.

only a small % of the total

the money from writing their own book is minuscule - also I know a prof. who wrote a physiology text and it nearly killed his career due to the amount of time spent and the low value of doing that instead of doing research like he was supposed to - it was a labor of love tho

I also know one guy (not a prof.) who was making a partial living as a sort of professional textbook writer (his wife mostly supported them) -- he got the most from high volume books, like freshman biology texts

profs. do get a tiny "kickback" in that they get a copy of the text they decide to use for free; if the course has grad. students working as teaching assts. they will get a free copy

I suspect the main reason people select recent editions is to make sure students learn things that are up to date, BUT beyond that motivation, it would be nearly impossible to find enough old textbooks for students in the class

maybe things have changed in the last decade or so - I dunno re that (BobS - I was a biology professor)

text book prices are completely out of control but that has to be the effects of the publishers and of low volume printing

well, I DO have evidence. At any major research university, professors will run and hide if they see anyone in a suit with a case/satchel. Those are textbook salesmen and their main function is to waste your time. I had special places to hide as did other faculty - your lab is no good b/c they will barge in. When caught, you try to be polite, but...

I never heard of any lunches or anything like that. Perhaps they do that with committees in a large dept. but avoiding committee work is high on any research professor's priority list.

They will still screw you somehow.

Yes, I hate them too.

Faculty often write general text books when they cannot find something "good" for their own classes. So, Professor Smith is an expert in rocks, teaches a class on rocks, can't find a good text book on rocks, and writes his own. Then, when book adoption time comes around he uses his own book because he believes it's the "best" book on rocks. It's hard to ask Professor Smith to order a book for his class on rocks that he believes is less good than the one he wrote. Prof Smith orders his books, makes some $$ on his book for himself. Clearly it is an odd model but at some level the options are limited. I'm sure we can find a way so that Prof. Smith doesn't order his own book, and maybe there is an expectation that he shouldn't. But Smith is in a bit of a bind and he does not control the price the publisher charges, nor the bookstore markup. At the very least Smith is in an awkward spot and students think Smith is making a killing.

no affiliation - but my daughter (in college) uses them - check out chegg.com

feelthy petrologists!

No kickbacks that I know of, aside from desk copies and the occasional lunch/snack tray during an all day product tour type thing.

State law prevents us from writing and then requiring our own text book *unless* it is a commonly used text at other institutions.

However, what spurns the adoption that I see (I work in academic technologies at "the other college" in G'ville, Fl) is the ready to use online content/resources. Besides content like videos, power points, etc. there is often an assessment system, etc. For some reason, departments like this at first, but then realize that they still have to work (and I only support our official LMS as far as tech help), and they can't get support, etc. Then they get sick enough to do something like create their own content working as a group. Never happens, and next thing you know the new area rep for $publisher stops by with shiny new textbooks and new improved content and delivery, etc. And the cycle starts all over...

For the course I teach (intro to linux admin) I require what I think is a good Linux book to have. Fortunately, our local library system (www.aclib.us) just got a site license deal for Safari online, so my students can now get not only that book but the 3 or 4 others that I was considering for *free* online. Don't even need a library card, just get an online access library id number (name, dob, email) and wallah! instant access to all sorts of good books. Reading requirements are going up this term :)

I do recall the CDs, DVDs, and other "content" adding $50 - $100 to the price of a book in college ten years ago. They were pretty much ignored by the professors and therefore lost, and the bookstores would not buy back any books without the full package.

Prof Smith should release it under the Creative Commons license with one of the no commercial use clauses or for educational use only clauses.

We rule the world.;)

ouch..sorry kids!

Won't be that bad, under 100 pages total

Doubtful, but I heard that you guys rock!

Now, where is Jim Calzia - thought he might burrow to the surface for that quip.

I'll see how it is at the CSU this semester but my previous years at our JC's most professors would tell you the text book then tell you how absurd the price is for it at the book store and recommend getting an older version usually 1 or 2 editions back. Which can be gotten for pennies on the dollar on amazon. One of my last classes I took at jc was a Java classes the prof who I've had before actually teaches from an older edition which I bought for $5 whereas 1 edition newer is $95 new I just don't get it.

All that supplemental crap they put in with textbooks is by far a waste allows them to raise the price of books because wow they included a disk with chapter reviews! The textbook industry charges extortion like fees for it's books, if you can avoid buying a book for a class don't I attended quite a few classes and didn't bother with the book, it's not always necessary.

Have a gneiss day Randy.

ow!

ain't no rocks in Houston, so I expect the Clearlake (NASA) address portends rocking on the moon or further?

This is how it should be. There's no reason to require $100+ textbooks!