University of South Carolina Libraries
t 0 Studen with bo< By Jim Kuy derate It OwTMCock Staff Writtf Skyrocketing book prices hav< ?students screaming "rip off" a' campus bookstores, but those involved feel the yelling should ix directed at the publishing com panies instead. William Rorie, textboo* supervisor of the Russell House Campus Bookstore, claims aL books are sold strictly by the publishing comoanies' sueffestec prices, and only continual in creases by them keep prices picking away at students' wallets. "We don't establish the prices,' Rorie said. "We sell at the publisher's suggested price." Not only new books are affectec by the price increases, but usee books are steadily rising in price also. Several used books have increased in price as much as $1.5( in recent months, according tc Rorie. THE STANDARD POLICE dealing with used books is the bookstore will buy a book bach from a student for 50 percent of the original cost. The bookstore shoulc then sell the book again for nc more than 75 percent of the original cost. "If a student sells a book back al the beginning of a semester, we're going to pay him half the price ol the books presently on the shelf,' Rorie said. "We'll get a price in crease on the book, and he'll gel half of the highest price. A gooc example is when the calculus books went up from $20 to $25. A student that bought the book for $2( is going to get half of $25, becausc that's the present price." Because of this, the bookstore is forced to increase used book prices. For example, a usee sociology book?recently jumpec from $11.30 to $12.80?and s paperback book on managerial instructional problems increased from $6.05 to $6.80. SOME STUDENTS don't fee! that justifies all of the price in creases. Stewart Hendrix, a student at USC, recently bought a book from the Campus Bookstore and got what he claims to be the "good old fashioned runaround." The book was used, but the cosl on the sticker was more than the ^??Hi|^HK9^n^^H^||||MIRP^WRIilil^K<' &- J_ * # ^JP^^^BIJIhm ' ^ 11 !'i1 I'll1' I 'I" '''' 11 The sport parachute was Activities Fair. ts upset )k prices price listed on a purple stamp in the book giving the cost of the book when it was new. ? "T nslrori thrM onvo nhnit it onrl t I got- three different stories," ; Hendrix explained. "One stock guy i claimed that it (the stamp) was a - code for stock control. I went to a second guy at the register, and he [ said it reflected the rising cost of i books. A third guy said the inked 1 on stamp was the publisher's * wholesale price. Now, wholesalers I sell in quantity. They wouldn't - stamp a price on every individual i book that they sell." ' "I PAID $12.80 for the book," he ; added. "Then later I was thumbing through the book and found a USC I receipt for the same book from 1 1976 that showed the book selling i for $12.05." ? Professor Brian C. Honess of the ) College of Business Administration ) has written a book that's for sale in the Russell Hofise Bookstore. He backs the claim of publishers r forcing the high costs. j "For the book I wrote, the ; publishers gave a suggested retaU i price of $11.95." he said. "I found it I rather interesting that the book > was selling for $12.05. But then I ; found out that is an addition for shipping by our bookstore. Last t year there was a $1 rise in the price ? of the book, so I checked with the f publisher and sure enough they ' had upped the price $1. I'm not all - that convinced that the bookstore t even clears profits on books," l lioness said. ? i THE QUESTION OF a possible ) student government-run used book ; selling operation has'been Drought up, in order to help students buy > used books at a cheaper price, t according to Pete Haeseker, SG I president. Several national 1 universities and colleges have a -A 1 4- 11 1 i aciup wneie siuueuis can sen ana I buy books from other students for I drastically reduced prices. Haeseker said the SG had been 1 considering this possibility. "We've looked into it, and I'd i like to see something like that i happen," he said. "I've written to i other colleges that have that kind ! of program and asked far information on how they run theirs, t We're at the point of gathering i information now.'' * "f*. :.g jS? ' - I jflfij^y: VH ::. < :$&.: S'-j&vi :&* :>f: :* i: 0 ?*** p BhmB^ .. ,*. & - 7" ^ ggagpfnpr' v''':v ono of tho many booths at the ^ 4* * 1 * W * ^ > > > > A > , f . / The above photo shows the $ 1.95. Below, the campus boo Lock prices By BUI \ Gamccock S The price of changing the lock c creased from last year's price of Macualay, director of men's housing Macaulay said this increase is n flation. but a necessary increase to the locks." He said it has cost between $13 an< This price is the bill received from done, not including bills to students follow-ups. DaiCintft r\t*in/if Une ivoit>iii5 p* ivco iiao uccn an iiitciiu with their keys and to bring bor Macaulay said. In the 1978-79 scho< borrow keys for a week if they lost th has been shortened to 72 hours, de being able to use a student's key to ge Macaulay urges students to lock r< in their possession, not,on the "convc USC students to use the Residential ] stereos, televisions, bicycles, and otl in using this service should contact th Care studenti ay sieve wong Gamecock Staff Writer The Career Planning Center has i use of the S.C. Occupational Inforn help students find careers, accc Salane, director of career planning. The university is using the < 1.1 1 ? # A! - cupauuiuu imormauon meiworx, ; SCOIS, to give students information of possible careers, Salane said. Three computer terminals were ii campus during the summer: on Planning Center, one in the Cente Majors and a portable one in the cU Humanities Building. SALANE SAID THE COIN comp up so anyone can use it to get cara just following the printed instructs She said COIN has two function information, expected salarii requirements and descriptions for; "to help those who don't have any id choice." It would be best for those who wai career se&rth to work with a couns Salane. The counselor and student - match the student with a possible ca original publishers price of kstore price of <$2.25. Dave Roback ? GAMECOCK i increased Vood taff Wrher n a USC dormitory room has in $6.75 to $15, according to David Dt merely another problem of in4'clip the actual costs of changing 1 ?15 for door lorks tn hp rpnl?r?Ar1 - T? ?. the physical plant where work is , paperwork and other necessary ve for students to be more careful rowed keys back more readily, >1 year, students were allowed to eir keys. This year the time period creasing the chances of someone t into his room, Macaulay said. x)ms at all times and to have keys nient door ledge." He also advised Jfe Services engraving service on ler belongings. Persons interested eir residential area office. :er denier, i plan for tl In determini there are sevei ecently received working condi lation System to physical dema rding to Linda There are 13 possible jobs. & Coordinated Oc- ANGELENE 1 i sub-division of manager for S on a wide range SCOIS was ab granted by th mission, Natioi is tailed on USC's and the U.S. D< e in the Career investment is i r for Undeclared added. ?n's office in the "Our (USC's tals, but nothi use," Salane si iter system is set month. ?r information by is. The prograr j: to give career students know js, educational into the office,1 iny job field, and ea about a career Salane said I AJ ? _ _ expecting 10 g it to go through a answer. slor, according to "I'm excited then use COIN to don't believe iter. * ^ starting point; UII u;ccfvcriu5 If employee problems can be soivea, ine uoiaen spur wui open Saturdays starting Sept. 15, according to *Tom Otts, director of Russell House University Union. "The opening of the Spur on baturaays is an attempt 10 matte internal changes in order to be more responsive to student needs. | If the University Union doesn't serve these needs, the students will go elsewhere," Otts said. There is a definite market to be served by the on-campus bar on I weekends, Otts added. He feels there is a large percentage of students who stay on campus for weekends and don't have transportation to get to off-campus bars. THE POSSIBILITY of Saturday bands, happy hours, and serving food are all being considered for this semester, according to Otts, and a new television set will help 1 Krinrf in fKo Cofiir/1o?r iwi lAifj in wiv uavui uaj football crowd. I Spur manager Jake Williams | agrees there might be ample I student response to opening the 1 Spur on Saturdays, but he also cited certain maintenance and employee problems that must be I faced so this can be possible. If the Spur opens on Saturdays, new maintenance procedures concerning rug shampooing must be adopted, according to Williams. Another problem is finding employees who can work on Saturdays. Since the Spur employs students who may need the weekends to catch up on school 1_ VIV'll* J 1 J wont, wiuiams saia ne may neea to hire just a Saturday clerk. THE SPUR hired eight new employees this fall after firing four employees accused of giving out free beer this summer. "These firings have resulted in more inCOrtri A t*oininrf n n/4 uva Tivv VI ailllllg auu IIIUI C awareness by employees to USC regulations," said Otts. The Spur tried to open on Saturdays last fall, but there was little student response. Now they will advertise and promote to bring in more students, accort^ng to Otts. i t neips he future ng student and career compatibility i areas that are considered: interest, tions, education, physical strength, nds, and salary and career clusters, career clusters that encompass all a lane said. HUNTER, information development COIS, said the initial investment for out $250,000. Most of the money was e S.C. Employment Security Com rial Occupational Information System apartment of Labor. "At this point the ibout a half of a million dollars," she i) only cost is for the terminals' renng for the computer or information lid. Terminal rentals cost about $100 a n "is now available, but only a few about it; only the ones who have come 'Salane said. tier concern is students coming in here et an immediate and satisfying career I in one sense, but careful in another. I it will find you a career, but it is a "she added.