Affordable Content Models
Amanda Moeller and Cory Whipkey
by Amanda Moeller and Cory Whipkey (both from University of Wisconsin-River Falls) (bios)
Introduction
The University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UWRF) is part of the University of Wisconsin System, which, as of the fall of 2017, consists of thirteen comprehensive universities and thirteen smaller campuses that primarily provide two-year programs (Campuses, 2017). UWRF currently enrolls approximately 6,000 undergraduates and 400 graduate students.
UWRF has several unique programs and facilities that attract students, including the second-largest dairy science program in the country. The university places a strong emphasis on undergraduate research, internships, and practical applications of classroom learning. Students in the dairy science program, for instance, work on two campus farms to train service animals, provide milk products for ice cream (created on campus by our Food Science and Technology students) served in the cafeteria, and prepare horses for public sale. Teacher education, business, and the sciences are other popular majors on campus.
Instead of purchasing textbooks, students at UWRF pay a textbook fee each semester.
Since its inception in 1874, UWRF has approached affordable instructional content in unique ways. Instead of purchasing textbooks, students at UWRF pay a textbook fee each semester. For the 2017–2018, academic year, the fee is $80.64 per student (the original textbook fee in 1874 was $1.00 per semester). This allows students access to the textbook library, which contains about 2,500 unique titles and 100,000 items. Here they can check out the instructional materials they need for each class they take. Students’ savings could reach as high as $4,500[1] during their time at UWRF. This figure does not factor in additional interest on student loans they might need to repay after they graduate, as many students use loan funds to pay for books. It is because of this historical legacy that the program can continue to grow and thrive. Our current inventory is valued at over $7,000,000.
Given the unique and diverse student populations at UWRF, saving students money on textbooks is an important effort in supporting academic success. Nearly half of UWRF students are first-generation college students, and three-fourths receive financial aid. It is rare to meet a student who is not working in some capacity, and it is not unusual to hear of students balancing multiple part-time jobs in order to meet their financial need (an average of $8,826 per year). Many students work on the family farm during weekends and academic breaks or commute to campus from a farm (Knowledge Powers, 2017). By paying $80.64 per semester for access to textbooks, UWRF students are saving an amount similar to what they would earn through a $1100 student work study position salary each year. Financial concerns are a major factor influencing student retention; one-fourth of students do not return for their