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University Policy 14

Textbook, Textbook Rental, and Course Material Policy

Effective Date: April 23, 2024

Policy topic: Business Administration and Auxiliary Services
Administering Office: Auxiliary Enterprises, Information Technology


I. Policy Statement

Western Carolina University recognizes the impact that textbook and material adoptions have on the total cost of attendance for our students. Whereas Article IX, Section 9 of the North Carolina State Constitution states that “The General Assembly shall provide that the benefits of The University of North Carolina and other public institutions of higher education, as far as practicable, be extended to the people of the State free of expense,” the University has developed a unique culture, including a textbook rental program, that encourages faculty, students, staff, and administrators to work together to help control the total cost of attendance while supporting the academic freedom of faculty. The purpose of this policy is to provide transparency for all stakeholders and to clearly communicate the laws and procedures that govern the adoption of rental textbooks, supplemental textbooks, and course materials at Western Carolina University.

II. Scope

This policy applies to all textbook, rental textbook, and course material adoptions at Western Carolina University, as governed by the Higher Education Opportunity Act (Public Law 110-315) (HEOA) (August 14 2008).

III. Definitions

"Adoption" – The communication of materials that are required to participate in a course, including rental textbooks, supplemental textbooks, or other purchased course materials that are listed on syllabi.

"Bookstore" – The campus auxiliary owned and operated by Western Carolina University.

"Rental Textbook" – Physical or digital textbooks that are adopted as part of the fee-based textbook rental program. Applies to undergraduate residential credit students. Often referred to as “textbook rental” or “book rental.” 

"Supplemental Textbook" – Textbooks that must be purchased by students to participate in a course. All other adopted physical or digital textbooks, includes graduate and undergraduate textbooks that are not in the rental textbook program. 

"Course Material" – All other adopted materials that are required to participate in a course, Including, but not limited to, digital learning assets, lab and art supplies, course packs, custom textbooks, subscription services, open educational resources (OER), etc. 

"Learning Management Ssystem (LMS)" – An electronic platform which houses graded assignments, quizzes, tests, or other data which may be protected by FERPA. This may include systems which require Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) for functionality, or which allow students to register without requiring their valid WCU credentials.  Any adoption or licensing of a system which may supplement or replace WCU's adopted LMS must:

  1. Follow University Policy 62, Contract Review and Execution,  and University Policy 119, Software Adoption Policy
  2. Follow University Policy 97, Information security and Privacy Governance, and the related Data Handling Procedures. Furthermore, any system that collects or stores FERPA data must be approved by the data steward or designee (e.g., Provost or Registrar for FERPA data)
  3. Be subjected to a risks assessment (including information security, privacy, and technical risks) by both the Division of IT and the Office of General Counsel

IV. Textbook and Course Material Adoptions

Adoptions for rental textbooks, supplemental textbooks, and course materials must be formally reported to the Bookstore in compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), Section 133(e) “Availability of Information for College Bookstores.”

  1. Supplemental Textbook and Course Material Adoptions:

    The Bookstore accepts adoptions for supplemental textbooks and course materials submitted by faculty or staff through the instructions posted on the Bookstore’s website. The Bookstore may offer guidance to faculty regarding cost of attendance or availability concerns, but does not consider the content or quality of any proposed adoption.

    Any course material that has the ability to function as a Learning Management System (LMS) must be reviewed and approved by the Division of Information Technology before the adoption is processed and made available to students. Information Technology will review the request and assess institutional risk, student privacy concerns, and contractual obligations that may be associated with third-party products. Information Technology does not assess the content or quality of any proposed adoption.

    As is required by the HEOA, all cost information for these textbooks and materials will be shared with students once the material is formally adopted by the Bookstore.

  2. Rental Textbook Adoptions:

    The intent of the rental textbook program is to provide a low-cost, actively managed service to help control the total cost of attendance for students at WCU. The Bookstore manages the rental textbook program, and associated fee, to provide students that pay the rental textbook fee with textbooks for their courses.

    The Bookstore is tasked with managing adoptions, inventory, and implementing criteria to successfully manage the program. The Bookstore may consider using library materials, open educational resources (OER), or implementing minimum adoption periods, price caps, and other criteria to ensure the financial solvency of the program while promoting flexibility for faculty and students. The Bookstore may offer guidance to faculty regarding cost of attendance or availability concerns, but does not consider the content or quality of any proposed adoption.

    Details regarding rental adoption procedures, criteria, and exceptions can be found on the Bookstore’s website and is updated annually in the Faculty handbook.

V. Responsibilities

  1. The Bookstore is responsible for:
    1. Adopting supplemental textbooks and course materials, and making associated cost information available to students as dictated by the Higher Education Opportunity Act,
    2. Actively managing the Rental Textbook program, ensuring the solvency of the program, and promoting flexibility for faculty and students, and,
    3. Coordinating with Information Technology regarding materials that provide LMS-like functionality.
  2. The Division of Information Technology is responsible for:
    1. Assisting faculty with adoptions that impact University-supported systems, and,
    2. Assessing institutional risk, student privacy concerns, and contractual obligations that may be associated with third-party products containing LMS-like functionality.
  3. Faculty are Staff are responsible for:
    1. Submitting adoptions for all courses in a timely manner to the Bookstore, so that information required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act can be provided to students, and,
    2. Working with the Division of Information Technology when proposed adoptions contain LMS-like functionality.

VI. Policy Review

This policy shall be reviewed and revised every (4) years, or as necessary for operational reasons.

VII. Related Policies

University Policy #97 – “Information Security and Privacy Governance”
University Policy #117 – “Information Security Policy”
University Policy #119 – “Software Adoption Policy”
University Policy #132 – “Auxiliary Services and Retail Sales”

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