32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61
METER = 3.937 IN OR 0.328 FOOT 1 FOOT= 3.048 FECHES
THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2010
WWW.KANSAN.COM
VOLUME 122 ISSUE 1
BETTER THAN BUYING?
Students look to save with book rental
More stores and websites offer book rentals because of increased demand
BY KELLY STRODA kstroda@kansan.com
Textbook prices have risen during the past few years, and Brad Rector knows that just as well as anyone. Rector, a junior from Overland Park, is used to spending $300 to $400 on textbooks each semester.
"I try to go used as often as possible," Rector said. "But for a lot of my books, you can only buy them new, which can be very frustrating."
So this semester, Rector is considering renting his textbooks
instead.
As a way for students to grapple with inflating textbook prices, book rental programs have been catered to students' needs in recent years. Online companies like Chegg.com began providing textbook rentals in 2007, according to their website.
But rental programs are beginning at local bookstores, too. Bookstores, like KU Bookstore in the Kansas Union and University Book Shop, are providing options for students to rent textbooks.
"Really, it's just something the students wanted," said James Rourke, textbook manager at KU
Bookstore. "The industry is changing all the time with the shift from print to digital, and we think that rental will be part of that transition."
According to research performed by the National Association of College Stores, prices for both new and used textbooks rose an average of 14 percent from 2007 to 2009. So, a book that cost $100 in 2007 cost around $114 in 2009. For students taking 15 credit hours, that's an increase of around $70 each semester.
KU Bookstore's book rental program works with bookkrener.com, a
used book wholesaler, Rourke said. Textbooks can be rented for as little as one-fourth of the cost of buying the same book new. "Psychology" by David G. Myers, a textbook used in a section of Psychology 104 at the University of Kansas, can be rented from KU Bookstore for $52.37. Buying the same book new would cost $114.95, according to its website. The company provides about 80,000 titles that are available for students to rent.
Chris Bronson/KANSAN
A sign at University Book Shop, 1116 West 23rd St., advertises textbook rental. More stores and websites are offering textbook rental because of increased student demand.
But KU Bookstore isn't the only
SEE BOOKS ON PAGE 9A
Movin'on up
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
Melissa Steuart, a freshman from Topeka, carries her belongings into her new room at Ellsworth Hall. Most of the students living in residence halls moved in on Sunday.
STUDY ABROAD
Coming home can be just as stressful
BY NICOLAS ROESLER
nroesler@kansan.com
Reverse culture shock, or reentry shock, affects thousands of returning study abroad students every year. Symptoms include lacking the ability to communicate the significance of time spent abroad, being critical of values.
customs, and beliefs that weren't bothersome before studying abroad, as well as simply missing the lifestyle of a foreign country - full of adventure and new experiences.
"I felt depressed for a couple of weeks when I got back," said Leslie Gustafson, a senior from Overland
Park who studied in Costa Rica for two months this summer. "I didn't have a job to come back to, so I missed all of the things I had done in Costa Rica, and not really having anything to do for a while made it worse."
the Office of Study Abroad, has led re-entry sessions at the University of Kansas for two years through the Office of Study Abroad. However, this year she isn't sure if one will be offered because of the lack of attendance at these non-mandatory meetings in the past.
Jen Weghorst, the program director for Spain and Latin America in
She said this would simply be due to the busy schedules that students
"People in Europe just seem more apt to dealing with hard circumstances, or not ideal situations."
PAUL TACKETT
Wamego senior
have when they get back, but the importance of learning how to deal with these feelings cannot be ignored.
One issue students encounter is the lifestyles they come across abroad and differences in outlooks on
"People in Europe just seem more apt to dealing with hard circumstances, or not ideal situations," said Paul Tackett, a senior from Wamego who spent four months in
life compared to what they're used to at home.
ACADEMICS
SEE ABROAD ON PAGE 9A
Still deciding? That's fine, just don't be 'undecided'
BY MICHAEL HOLTZ mholtz@kansan.com
Justin Thornbrugh is a lot like many freshmen. He's excited for the first football game, eager to make new friends and anxious about the independence that comes with college life.
But Thornbrugh is like many of his classmates in another way — he hasn't chosen a major.
"I haven't really thought about what I want to do for the rest of
With a diverse class schedule, Thornbrugh said he wants to keep his options open. This semester he's enrolled in English, math, philosophy, geology and acting, the class he's most excited about.
As chairman of the Deciding Students Committee at the University Advising Center, Dan McCarthy works with many students like Thornbruch. He said that though the use of the term "deciding" in place of "undecided" might seem semantic, there was an important difference.
my life," said Thornbrugh, a freshman from Lenexa. "I can take classes I think I might like, and then figure out what I actually want to do."
"It implies a more active process," McCarthy said. "There's absolutely no problem with coming to college as an undecided student as long as that's an active process of exploring different
Kansas, McCarthy said there's something for everyone. With so many options, it's little wonder that most undergraduate students switch majors three to five times before they graduate.
opportunities that are out there."
"I would encourage the student to start taking classes
ments. "There's a lot of time to do that sort of thing."
With more than 130 bachelor's degree options at the University of
DAN MCCARTHY University Advising Center
"I would encourage the student to start taking classes that appeal to them."
that appeal to them." McCarthy said, rather than taking classes to fulfil general education require-
Even if they don't take his advice
take his advice,
McCarthy said
a semester in
which a student
loathes every
one of his or her
classes does have
its benefits.
"Being in classes that you can't stand is actually a wonderful experience because it's telling you what
you do like," McCarthy said. "It's an experience where you really start to develop the skills to say,
'No, I'm not going to associate class with pain.'
As long as students stay active in pursuing their academic and career interests. McCarthy said they'd eventually choose the right degree. It's when students develop a passive approach to choosing a major McCarthy said he worries.
"The greatest disadvantage is for students to wait for this moment of epiphany to occur," McCarthy said. "That's not likely to happen."
Aaron Othmer, a junior from Topeka, remained undecided until he declared biology as a major during the second semester of his freshman year. He said he soon thought sports management
would be a better fit.
After he had enrolled in several sports management classes. Othmer said he lost interest and once again switched degrees. A year later, during the spring semester of his sophomore year, Othmer declared a major in atmospheric science.
Having finally settled on a major, Othmer's advice for freshmen is simple: Keep an open mind.
"Spend some time to think about it," Othmer said. "Don't come dead set on one thing, because more than likely it's not going to happen."
— Edited by Lisa Curran
index
Classifieds...13B Opinion...19A
Crossword...2, 3C Sports...1B
Cryptoquips...4C Sudoku...2, 4, 6C
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2010 The University Daily Kansan
One shopper's trash can be another's treasure
Thrift stores sell an eclectic mix of clothing, accessories MONEY | 18A
weather
TODAY
89 66
Partia zlouda
Partly cloudy
TUESDAY
75 62
Thunderstorms
WEDNESDAY
Partly cloudy
86 67
Partly cloudy weather.com
---