TUESDAY
PENTAGON PAPERS
THURSDAY
P2
Ohio State professor wasn’t featured in “The Post,” but was integral in release of Pentagon Papers.
CLOCK TOWER
P4
Relay For Life boosts fundraising by selling stickers of campus icons.
MIKE WEBER
P8
A surprise return to Ohio State’s 2018 roster, what’s Mike Weber’s role with the Buckeyes?
DWAYNE HASKINS
P8
Is Dwayne Haskins already Ohio State’s starting quarterback next year? Players say he might be.
The student voice of the Ohio State University
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
thelantern.com
@TheLantern
Snyder’s home farewell Ohio State wrestler Kyle Snyder finished his final home match Sunday at the Schottenstein Center. However, it’s nowhere near the end of his dominant career. STORY | PAGE 8
Year 138, Issue No. 4
IFC hopeful chapters will gain full reinstatement in coming weeks ALYSSA JACOBS Lantern reporter jacobs.971@osu.edu
JACK WESTERHEIDE | PHOTO EDITOR
High prices, limited options: students searching for textbook alternatives MICHAEL LEE Lantern reporter lee.7240@osu.edu With the closing of Student Book Exchange in December, students were left looking for alternatives to purchase textbooks other than those at Barnes and Noble. Why the need for alternatives? Without other options around campus, students are forced to go Ohio State’s official bookstore — arguably the only one within walking distance of campus. Barnes and Noble is the only bookstore remaining in the campus area, where students expect higher prices relative to online competitors like Amazon. At Ohio State’s Barnes and Noble book store, for example, a copy of “Introduction to Graphics and Communications for Engineers” costs $87.25. On Amazon, the same copy costs $71.47. In addition to its closing, on SBX’s website, a link for professors to buy textbooks for their classes redirects them to Barnes and Nobles’ official site. Cary Amling, a fourth-year in mechanical engineering, said while she usually finds free or low-priced textbooks from friends in the same major, Amazon offers an alternative to Barnes and Noble.
Amling said she only buys textbooks if the class requires it for open-note tests.
“It is in everyone’s best interest that the entire community move forward in a positive way.” Dave Isaacs Spokesman for the Office of Student Life
“I buy the international [textbook] versions. It’s the same content and usually way cheaper.” Cary Amling Fourth-year in mechanical engineering
“I buy the international versions. It’s the same content and usually way cheaper [than Barnes and Noble],” she said. For Sarah Avdakov, a second-year in Spanish, using Facebook groups as an alternative for finding textbooks has had added benefits. “As someone who buys and sells through the Facebook groups ... it’s sort of like ‘I’ve already used this, I don’t need it anymore,’” Avdakov said. “You know there’s this network out there and you know there are people who have already gone through what you have gone through.” Barnes and Noble offers to match prices with sites such as Amazon. It also offers what many websites or social media sites do not offer: being a brick-and-mor-
Interfraternity Council President Drew Cooper expressed optimism about the reinstatement status of 36 suspended IFC chapters, an indication that Ohio State’s efforts at reforming Greek life are progressing. Cooper and Student Life leadership have held ongoing discussions with chapter presidents since Ohio State laid out its university-wide ban on IFC social activities in November, and it appears reinstatement across the board might be on the horizon. “Overall, I am certainly hopeful that each chapter will be back to full reinstatement within the next couple of weeks,” Cooper said.
MICHAEL LEE | LANTERN REPORTER
While Barnes and Noble is the last store where students can purchase textbooks in the immediate campus area, some students find alternatives to the brick-and-mortar store. tar store. For students like Danny Hummer, a third-year in economics, having that brick-and-mortar aspect can be useful. “I went to Barnes and Noble to get the book in person rather than online,” Hummer said. “Some of my classes I needed the books right away, so I came to the store to get them so I didn’t have to wait.” Aimling said Barnes and Noble sometimes offers supplemental texts with the class book, which other alternatives can’t offer. “I feel like Barnes and Noble really likes to be like ‘yeah you
need that’ or ‘there are these notes that go with [the textbook],’” Amling said. “Also, I don’t have to go all the way to Barnes and Noble to get them.” Avdakov said finding books on social media could possibly be even better than buying them online or in-store because of the trade-off. “With the Facebook group, I definitely say you need to work a lot harder to find what you need sometimes,” Avdakov said. “Normally those books are much cheaper. If you’re getting them from other students they’re willing to negotiate the prices.”
As of Monday, 31 of the 36 chapters have been approved for recruitment events and 16 for new member activities, as well, according to Ohio State’s recently created webpage aimed at improving transparency. Nine chapters have been approved for social events, which can only occur if they are approved of social and recruitment events first. Tuesday, the day after sororities hand out their bids to new members, has previously been celebrated by IFC parties. During sorority recruitment the Panhellenic Association enacts an alcohol ban, prohibiting its members from drinking during the rush period. Only time will tell if no social approval will affect this “tradition” for many IFC chapters. The website is part of the university’s broader attempts to change the culture within the Greek community following an unprecedented number of IFC chapter investigations Autumn Semester, which led to the blanket temporary suspension. “We’ve been getting very strong positive feedback about the website and I think one of the things that’s true about all of this REINSTATEMENT CONTINUES ON 3