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Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                Matt Dulin     Chris Elliott                        Robyn Morrow                  Johnny Peña
                                      Fabian Sifuentes              Kristen Young

Textbooks not making the grade

Faculty book orders: C-

The Student Government Associated passed a resolution this week encouraging faculty to turn book orders in on time. The logic is the sooner the UH bookstore knows which books will be used in coming semesters, the more it can pay students during book buyback. As of yesterday, only 32 percent of faculty had turned orders in; the deadline is today.

Some have argued in the past that promoting the sale of used books makes new ones more expensive because publishers are forced to charge more for new books to make up for the loss of money. Getting rid of used books is not a solution, however. 

The practice of selling used books makes money for bookstores -- both official and unofficial, online or not -- and as long as students value cash more than hanging on to that Introduction to Biology textbook, the practice is not going anywhere. As that's the case, faculty should make every effort to help students save money by turning book orders in on time.

Maybe faculty members, like students, enjoy procrastinating. We hope this is the case and they hurry up and get those orders in. 

Community college enrollment on rise: It sure is

The Houston Chronicle reported enrollment at Texas community colleges is growing at three times the rate of enrollment for public universities in the state. Forty-eight percent of college students in Texas are now enrolled at two-year institutions, while 40 percent attend universities.

Much of the increase is thanks to higher enrollment rates among Hispanics. It's positive that minorities are using community colleges as steppingstones to degrees. UH's diversity is a blessing, but a quick trip to other state campuses reveals it's not a blessing shared by all Texas schools.

The increase is also part of a large story about the University's changing image. Before two-year institutions became prevalent, UH was considered a "workingman's" school -- sort of a community university. Now that schools like Houston Community College are filling this role, UH has more incentive to push for a spot among Texas' elite institutions. 

The key will be striking a balance between the value associated with the University and its quest for prestige.