Letter to the Editor: Privatizing the bookstore would be disastrous
The university is looking to sell the University of Calgary bookstore to Follett, an American corporation worth $2.7 billion. Bringing in a private corporation to sell textbooks to students would be kneecapping the student body at its most vulnerable during a pandemic, a recession and yearly tuition hikes.
Currently, textbooks are sold to students as close to at-cost as possible, keeping prices affordable. However, we all know that textbooks are still unaffordable, which is why the bookstore has three cost-saving programs the Book Loan program, the Sponsored Students program and the Textbook Rental program.
In a statement by the Students’ Union (SU) on April 8, students were updated on the possible privatization of the University of Calgary bookstore. The university is considering using a third party the American company Follett to provide services to run the bookstore.
The statement reads, “Follett has a negative reputation on many campuses where it operates bookstores. It has raised the cost of textbooks on students while also often decreasing student choice on where to purchase books by having students pay for books up front when they pay their tuition. The bookstore currently sells textbooks as close to cost as possible and maintains a book loan program. The SU is concerned that this is at risk if the university pushes forward on privatization.”