Pursuing a higher education is a privilege, particularly for marginalized communities across the nation, which I know firsthand as a Latine student raised in Spanish Harlem. Many of my family members did not have the access to college and had to hustle between jobs their whole lives, and I am lucky to say that I am enrolled at Smith College. Along with this privilege though, comes the great burden of paying for supplies, especially textbooks, which are oftentimes mandatory for taking a course.
The average student loan debt is $32,731; an increase of 302% since 2004 (valuepenguin.com) and paying for supplies only adds pressure for students to consider if they should pay for textbooks when they already need to consider tuition payments. This issue may seem hopeless, and the numbers overbearing, but there are programs schools can adapt to which can lessen the costs of textbooks dramatically. The Open Textbook initiative gives educators access to readings for a fraction of the cost compared to paying hundreds of dollars per book. Smith has a textbook fund students can apply to, but is this really enough?
Allocating funds toward the Open Textbook initiative will help all students, regardless of their financial status and release the burden of paying thousands of dollars for textbooks per year. I am encouraging professors and President McCartney alike to consider applying for grant money to utilize these accessible, affordable programs. This will help students for years to come and give marginalized students a chance to thrive at these institutions; it will give them the hope to persevere in the classroom, devoid of the fear of unanticipated costs.
Lola Anaya
New York City
To learn more, visit the Open Textbook Initiative’s website: https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/
