Technician
Students battle crushing textbook prices Elise Heglar News Editor
While many students would prefer to avoid extra work, it turns out that cost has been a big motivator in recent weeks for some to step up their researching. Textbooks are used by students on a daily basis and provide a lot of information that can be difficult to find elsewhere. Many students have regarded the cost of textbooks as high and this mentality has led some students, like senior in environmental technology Houston Sherer, to compare prices at various stores before purchasing. Sherer, who said that he frequently avoids buying textbooks entirely due to high prices, tends to look at several different places in order to find the best deals on books. While he does consider the Campus Bookstore an option for certain materials such as course packets, he tends to choose other outlets for his textbooks. “I buy from a third party, always. Unless it’s something that I can’t get anywhere else, like a course code or a packet, it’s almost always certainly cheaper to buy somewhere else,” Sherer said. Anthony Sanders, the Assistant Director for the bookstore, said that the textbook prices vary according to the availability of the book itself. While some books may be expensive at the bookstore, Sanders said the profit margin is much lower in comparison to many other vendors. “We actually compare very favorably in that we have lower profit margins
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than most other plac- es. Especially when you account for things like shipping costs, which we don’t h a ve t o wor- ry about,” Sanders said. The convenience of the bookstore is one of the reasons it is useful for students, according to Sanders. Located in the center of the Brickyard, it is easily accessible to students and also offers online ordering. Sanders said another reason the bookstore is useful to students is because of the information it provides online about classes and professors. “We can be the center of information in that we can get information directly from instructors and provide it directly to students. It’s like one-stop shopping; students can get information they need and textbooks in one transaction,” Sanders said. While the bookstore does have helpful elements for students, there are still people who believe that comparing all of the options is the best way to decide on a vendor. There are even websites popping up, such as textbooks.org, that have been created to help students compare several vendors at once. “Tools like this save students a lot of time. It also saves money because it really shows them that they are getting the best deal,” Steven Kennedy, creator of textbooks.org, said. According to Kennedy, Amazon is one of the most competitive vendors.
From the Big Apple to the City of Oaks
New Yorker and dance team member adapts to life in Raleigh. See page 7.
Painter’s portrait of the Pack
DeShawn Painter uses superlatives to describe his teammates. See page 8.
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Craft Center changes to accommodate growth
Jessie Halpern Deputy News Editor
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALEX SANCHEZ
There are currently not any local textbook vendors, such as school bookstores or stores like Packbackers, in the system, but Kennedy said it is in the works. Kennedy was inspired to start the website after he dealt with high textbook prices as a student himself. “I graduated from the University of Florida and I’d go to stores and check prices and they just didn’t compare to the Internet,” Kennedy said. Jon Howell, junior in computer engineering, said the most important thing when looking for textbooks is
variety. “It’s a great thing that different places, like the ones on Hillsborough Street, exist because it gives another option if you don’t want to buy online or at the Bookstore,” Howell said. Howell said variety is important and can help students save money, but also that the bookstore has very fair pricing for general education textbooks. “Every semester until this one I have bought from the bookstore, but this
This semester, students will notice a re-vamped course offering in the Crafts center. While last fall the center offered the largest number of courses in their history, this semester is setting a new record. The new course list will include old favorites, like basket weaving, as well as new crowd pleasers, such as Chinese brush painting and calligraphy. The center’s most popular courses, digital photography and digital macro photography will be offered in additional sections due to the steady weight list. Jo Ellen Westmoreland, Assistant Director of the Crafts center, is excited to continue offering some of the students’ favorite classes. “Our Friday craft courses are only five dollars and continue to remain extremely popular with students. A lot of students also like our beginning guitar and bike repair classes as well,” Westmoreland said. Though the Crafts center offers a more varied selection of class
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Successful African-American author Wes Moore spoke about success, family and education for minorities.
Record-breaking NMR spectroscopy machine finds home at NC research campus. See page 5.
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As demand for classes increases and the wait list grows, the crafting center has added new courses.
Successful author exemplifies MLK
Research campus houses largest spectroscope in U.S.
january
Raleigh, North Carolina
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Due to high pricing, students are doing more research before purchasing textbooks.
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Staff Report: CSLEPS relocated CSLEPS, the Women’s Center, Chaplain’s Cooperative Ministry final student groups to vacate Talley
Will Brooks Deputy News Editor
Elise Heglar
Martin Luther King day is right around the corner, and as a celebration of King’s life, Wes Moore, successful African-American author and self-proclaimed family man, shared his experiences with students. Moore, who holds degrees from John Hopkins as well as Oxford University, wrote a New York Chris Phipps/Technician Times bestseller. In the eyes of Wes Moore inspired listeners to do something that matters at an event those who brought him forth, he centered around Martin Luther King Jr. through the story of the two men exemplifies what King sought pos- named Wes Moore who grew up in the same area. While one pursued higher education, the other went to jail for killing a police officer during a failed sible for American minorities. “One of the things that he does, robbery. is he gives back to the community, Students will observe the Martin Moore’s book, titled “The Other he inspires social change and he inspires other people to make chang- Wes Moore,” tells the story of another Luther King holiday next Monday by es in the world around them,” man named Wes Moore who had an having the day off, causing this event Sheila Smith McKoy, Director of extremely similar upbringing to him, to be held a week in advance. “It’s important because it is a good the African American Cultural but is serving a life sentence for murder. As Moore developed a relation- time for us to sit down and reflect on Center said. Smith Mckoy explained that ship with the “other Wes,” he tried to a great leader and an inspirational Moore was the exact type of person discover why they have found them- character,” Alex Thomas, junior in that Martin Luther King Jr. would selves with starkly different outcomes. chemical engineering, said. “If you look back at all of the things Moore explained that have given accowhen the other Wes’ he did, the doors he opened, he relades to. mother attempted to ally shot down a lot of stereotypes.” “[Moore] was achieve a four-year degree, Thomas said. really an ideal Smith McKoy explained that Moore she could not afford it. person to have for “I can’t help but think was chosen for this precise reason; he the event,” Smith how different her life evades the stereotypes that AfricanMcKoy said. would have been if she Americans held during King’s time As Moore exwould have graduated through his education, success, and plained himself, Sheila Smith McKoy, encompassment of the American college,” Moore said. King prided himDirector of the African He said that quality dream. self on action. American Culture Center “We are not products of our own eneducation is the root of a This is a trait vironment, we are a product of our pleasant community. Moore himself expectations.” Moore said “Education matters,” Moore said. understands well. Moore grew up Smith McKoy explained that Dr. King Smith McKoy, who presented Moore in a rough neighborhood in Baltimore, but despite the odds, he to the crowd, said she believed that achieved success through actions Moore perfectly exemplified King’s will for the community. of studying and military duty. mlk continued page 3
“[Moore] was really an ideal person to have for the event.”
Save 25% on cost of your textbooks by buying used books at:
NC State Bookstores Located in Harrelson on theTextbooks. Brickyard! "The Official Store forHall NC State "
Staff Writer
The last remaining campus organizations have completed their transition from Talley Student Center to Harrelson Hall. The Center for Student Leadership, Ethics and Public Service, the Women’s Center and the Chaplain’s Cooperative Ministry were the last three groups to officially make the move. All of the student groups previously housed in Talley have had to make the move to Harrelson in order to accommodate the construction on the student center. New facilities will be available for these student groups when the Talley renovations are finished. The move to Harrelson Hall has been in the works for about two years, according to Tierza Watts, associate director for CSLEPS. Watts said that all the planning made it a very simple process. Organizations originally housed in Talley had the option to move to Harrelson either during the summer or over winter break. Watts said that CSLEPS chose to move over winter break, because they wanted to start the year off in Talley. Most organizations that have made the move now have more space available to them for use, something Watts said is very beneficial. “I really like my new space but it’s definitely an adjustment. We have a lot more space, which is really great,” Watts said.
SPECIAL BACK TO SCHOOL HOURS: Monday - January 10 - 8am to 8pm
Monday Thursday, 8am 8pm Tuesday -- January 11 - 8am to to 8pm Wednesday - January Friday, 8am12to- 8am 6pmto 8pm Thursday - January 13 - 8am to 8pm Saturday, toto4pm Friday - January10am 14 - 8am 6pm