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Portland, OR-- Today Congressman David Wu announced the findings of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the rise in college textbook pricing. The report follows Congressman Wu's request of the GAO in March 2004 to investigate the cost of college textbooks and the textbook publishing industry.
"The GAO report confirms what students have shared with me over the past few years; textbook prices are increasing and are a growing financial burden as they pursue higher education," stated Congressman Wu. "At a time when families and students are struggling with the soaring costs of tuition and the declining buying power of financial aid, it is important that Congress continues to build on my efforts of the past year and look at ways to ease this burden."
Highlights of the report include:
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Textbook prices have risen at an average of 6% each year since 1987, compared with overall average price increases of 3%.
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Since 1986, textbook prices have nearly tripled, increasing by 186%, while tuition and fees have increased by 240%. Overall inflation since this time increased by 72%.
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The cost of textbooks and supplies as a percentage of overall tuition and fees is 72% for community college students. For students at four-year public institutions, the cost of textbooks is 26% of their college tuition and fees.
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Textbook "add-ons" such as CD-ROMS and other supplemental materials often contribute to the rising cost of textbooks.
Congressman Wu's concerns about the rising cost of textbooks followed news reports in 2003 that revealed American students often pay much more than overseas students for identical textbooks published in the United States. Those concerns prompted Congressman Wu to pursue legislation and request the GAO investigation.
During the GAO investigation, Congressman Wu continued to fight for fair college textbook pricing by highlighting the issue in the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Last month, during a committee markup of H.R. 609, the College Access and Opportunity Act of 2005, Congressman Wu offered, and the committee accepted, an amendment that lists specific steps textbook publishers, faculty, bookstores and institutions of higher education should take to make college textbooks more affordable for students.
Congressman Wu also recently won the support of House Education Committee members to charge the U.S. Department of Education's Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance with the duty of investigating rising textbook prices. Congressman Wu believes the committee is an appropriate vehicle to build on the recommendations included in H.R. 609 and to make further recommendations to Congress, publishers, bookstores, colleges, faculty and students on what they can do to make textbooks more affordable.
Today's press conference was held in front of the campus bookstore at Portland State University in Oregon. Congressman Wu was joined by students and representatives from several state student associations.
To view a copy of the report, visit www.gao.gov. The report number is GAO-05-806.
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