Petition to Eliminate or Strongly Re-Evaluate the Ball State First Day Textbook Affordability Program

To the Administration of Ball State University, Barnes & Noble College, and President Geoffrey Mearns,

We, the students of Ball State University, demand immediate action regarding the First Day Textbook Affordability Program, a program that is failing students in transparency, fairness, and true affordability.

While this program is advertised as a way to make textbooks more affordable, the reality is starkly different. Many students, including myself, will save hundreds of dollars this semester by opting out and purchasing our own textbooks independently—direct evidence that this program’s branding is misleading and its financial model exploitative.

Our Core Issues:

• Deceptive Affordability Claims: The program is marketed as a “textbook affordability program,” yet students who opt out save significant amounts of money. I, personally, will save over $150 this semester by opting out.

• Unfair Flat-Rate Charges: Students are billed $22.75 per credit hour, regardless of whether their courses require any textbooks. This means students taking 15 credit hours with no textbooks are charged $341.25 for no benefit—an unjustified fee that amounts to a financial penalty.

• Incomplete Coverage: The program covers books and software only, excluding consumables and other necessary materials, reducing its overall value to students.

• Rental Physical Books, Not Digital: Textbooks are provided as physical rentals that must be returned at the semester’s end. Digital options, which improve accessibility and convenience, are almost entirely absent except for software.

• Accessibility Barriers: Physical books limit students who need digital access or assistive technologies to effectively learn and study.

• Ineffective Opt-Out Mechanism: Students are automatically opted in, and the opt-out option is poorly labeled and difficult to find. Many students inadvertently pay fees they do not want or need.

Our Demands:

1. Students must be opted out by default and only enrolled if they actively choose to participate.

2. Billing must be accurate and limited only to classes with required textbooks or covered materials.

3. The university must offer digital textbook options to improve accessibility for all students.

4. The opt-out process and all associated fees must be communicated clearly and prominently, not hidden in fine print or tiny text.

5. Public Statements and Accountability: We demand formal public statements addressing these concerns from:

   • Barnes & Noble College, the university’s partner in administering this program,

   • The Ball State University Bookstore, responsible for managing textbook distribution,

   • President Geoffrey Mearns, as the university’s chief executive, responsible for student welfare and institutional transparency.

These statements should address how the program’s costs are justified, what efforts are being made to improve affordability and accessibility, and concrete steps for reform.

Alternatively, Ball State University should eliminate the program altogether.

Why This Matters

This program unfairly burdens students financially while misrepresenting itself as a cost-saving measure. It erects barriers to learning by restricting access to digital materials and relies on misleading default enrollment practices that exploit student inattention.

We call on Ball State University, Barnes & Noble, and President Geoffrey Mearns to listen to student voices, be transparent, and take immediate corrective action. The current program undermines trust and places unnecessary stress on students striving to afford their education.

We, the undersigned, demand justice, transparency, and fairness in the handling of our textbook needs.

- BSUers Against First Day

BSUers Against First Day    Contact the author of the petition