HR1080 LRB094 19999 NHT 57472 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Postsecondary education is increasingly an
3 essential credential for success in the modern economy; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Affordability of a college degree is a growing
5 concern to students, families, and State policymakers; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The cost of textbooks is a substantial and
7 escalating burden for students; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Other states have undertaken legislative and
9 administrative measures to curtail the rising expense of
10 textbook purchases; therefore, be it
 
11     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
12 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
13 the Board of Higher Education, in conjunction with the Illinois
14 Community College Board and public universities and community
15 colleges, shall conduct a thorough and comprehensive study of
16 the cost and feasibility of implementing textbook rental
17 programs at public universities and community colleges; and be
18 it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education shall explore
20 the feasibility of various funding sources to establish a
21 revolving fund to finance start-up costs for textbook rental
22 programs at public universities and community colleges; and be
23 it further
 
24     RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education shall examine
25 measures considered or adopted in other states, including the
26 unbundling of software or other supplementary materials from
27 the sale of textbooks; the public listing of titles, prices,
28 and ISBN numbers of required textbooks; and the disclosure of
29 textbook costs to faculty; and be it further
 

 

 

HR1080 - 2 - LRB094 19999 NHT 57472 r

1     RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education shall
2 investigate the potential for technology to reduce textbook
3 costs, including online book swaps, an electronic
4 clearinghouse for the purchase of textbooks, and e-book
5 alternatives to published textbooks; and be it further
 
6     RESOLVED, That the Board of Higher Education shall report
7 its findings and recommendations to the chairpersons of the
8 Higher Education and Higher Education Appropriations
9 Committees of the House of Representatives no later than August
10 1, 2006; and be it further
 
11     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
12 delivered to the Governor, the chairperson of the Board of
13 Higher Education, the chairperson of the Illinois Community
14 College Board, and the president of each public university and
15 community college in this State.