Fresno college students had trouble getting books. Changes made, restitution discussed
New management of State Center Community College District bookstores last year came with widespread reports from students and teachers that needed textbooks weren’t available and financial aid vouchers weren’t being processed.
Fresno City College’s bookstore was the focus of issues reported in the fall semester.
Administrators said they’ve taken steps to keep problems from resurfacing this year. But as of the second day of the spring semester, there were at least five new complaints about the bookstore from Fresno City College instructors, reported to the Academic Senate, including that course materials were ordered incorrectly. Classes resumed Monday.
“The fall 2019 transition was a disaster,” said Karla Kirk, Fresno City College’s Academic Senate president and an African American studies instructor, “and faculty, staff and administrators will be meeting all this semester to assist any students that were negatively impacted by the bookstore transition.”
The new six-year contract with Follett Higher Education Group took effect July 11 – a month before the start of the fall semester. Concerns from SCCCD trustees who voted against it included the lack of time available for a bookstore transition ahead of the fall semester. Those fears appeared to be founded.
Fresno City College’s student newspaper, The Rampage, reported extensive problems last year with a botched rollout. That included the acceptance of time-sensitive financial aid vouchers only redeemable at the bookstore, and students waiting weeks for textbooks.
In September, Kirk sent a letter to faculty detailing major issues.
“Most upsettingly,” Kirk wrote, “students who purchased the wrong book have been denied refunds; students who never had the opportunity to get their books over the summer have failed classes; and students are dropping, and are being dropped, from classes this (fall) semester because they cannot get their books or supplies.”
Addressing problems: What’s changed?
Cheryl Sullivan, the district’s vice chancellor of finance and administration, said last week that problems should be fixed, but shared some issues Wednesday.
“I have gotten reports from faculty about issues with unavailable lab manuals and specific book order concerns,” Sullivan said. “The campuses are working with them to work through these issues.”
In general, however, she said the spring semester appears to be off to a “better start” than the fall.
Other SCCCD campuses – in Reedley, Clovis, Madera and Oakhurst – didn’t report significant issues, Sullivan said. She added that Follett and its team have “been really receptive and been really great to work with.”
Annalisa Perea, one of two SCCCD trustees who voted against the contract with Follett, said there were bookstore issues at other district campuses last year but the “biggest impact” was felt at Fresno City College.
Sullivan said a big slowdown last year was a poor wireless connection at Fresno City College. That infrastructure has been updated.
“When students came in, they were competing for the same cellular signal,” Sullivan said. “That really slowed down the service we were able to provide and made it so we couldn’t order books timely.”
In a statement to The Bee last week, Follett described some changes. The “system update” was first on the list: “Our networks are now upgraded, which means student purchases will be fast and seamless.”
Another issue last year: Not realizing “business practices were not aligned,” Sulivan said, and financial aid providers like CalWORKs were unable to see what was available in the Fresno bookstore.
Follett said utilizing financial aid – including from Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), California Work Opportunities and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), and Veterans Affairs aid – shouldn’t be an issue this year.
“We have two special EOPS shops set up and ready to provide personalized service to EOPS students,” wrote Carol Wood, a Follett spokesperson. “We also installed a one-stop shopping section for CalWORKs students, featuring the 20 supply items available to them.”
Wood said that “for the occasional text that may not be in stock due to shopping delays, back-orders, or edition changes, we have a process in place to notify the student when the text arrives.”
A copy of each textbook should also be available at the college’s library.
Follett said it offers textbook rentals and a “price match guarantee.” Scantrons, used by students to take tests, and other supplies are also reportedly readily available.
“With the fall term behind us,” Wood said, “and the store stocked and ready for the spring term, our team is focused on providing the best possible customer service.”
Do teachers play a role in this?
Follett also pointed to when teachers order books: “The most important variable in textbook availability and cost in the bookstore is the faculty adoption process (requesting books be ordered for classes) – the earlier the adoption request, the better the chance we can find the right textbooks, at the lowest cost.”
Kirk said instructors want an apology for what happened last semester, not blame for a process they weren’t invited to be part of. She said the decision to change bookstore management was made quickly at the district level without input from faculty, or forewarning to teachers.
“We don’t appreciate being blamed for something we are not doing. … It’s a little discouraging,” Kirk said.
Sullivan said faculty put in orders for this semester’s textbooks early to help.
“We had a very high adoption rate from faculty across the board,” Sullivan said, “so I do not think the issue will be from them.
“There was a timing issue for communication we will need to address. The faculty are off contract during the winter break. Follett was emailing the faculty regarding textbook issues. As they were not around to answer the questions, that put some sections behind in the ordering process.”
Follett also gave teachers credit for their actions. Wood said Friday, “As of last week, Fresno City College’s adoption rate was just over 90 percent, a big plus for the spring term.”
To this aim, Wood said the company conducted 25 faculty training sessions ahead of the spring semester.
Kirk said she had received five spring semester complaints from Fresno City College faculty as of Tuesday about the bookstore.
One of the instructors said Follett ordered the wrong materials, but that the company is “working to correct the issue.” That instructor got a message from Follett in October about the request: “Your order is successfully created.”
Kirk said she left a message with the bookstore asking what happened and when the problems will be resolved.
Restitution plans, finding affected students
Bookstore task forces were created on campuses to help ensure everything goes well this semester.
Kirk said her campus bookstore task force is planning to meet 1 p.m. Jan. 22. A location hasn’t been decided yet.
“At FCC, we will be focusing on any outstanding student financial restitution,” Kirk said, “monitoring and addressing impacts that students may have on financial aid, class registration for the spring, transfer issues, and course work that was impacted due to incorrect or unavailable course materials.
“Our campus bookstore taskforce will include faculty appointed by Academic Senate, classified staff and administrators.”
The district was still working to determine proper restitution for those negatively affected by the bookstore transition. Sullivan said Follett previously offered $10,000 to be split between the campuses. That offer has not been accepted.
Follett initially offered $5,000 to be split between the campuses.
“That’s insulting,” Perea said. “Some students’ financial aid may be impacted because they were not successful (as a result of not getting textbooks on time), and they want to throw out $5,000.”
Sullivan said determining the full cost of issues “has become more complicated.” She said a survey asking about bookstore problems was not filled out by many students.
“We’re trying to find a more equitable way of finding the people that were harmed,” Sullivan said.
Kirk said a survey about bookstore issues by Fresno City College’s institutional research analysts was well-received, with more than 2,500 respondents.
“That’s enormous for student surveys put out,” Kirk said. “It far exceeds student elections.”
If Follett provides money as restitution in the future, it’s expected to be given back to students in the form of bookstore credit, said Sullivan, who added the district doesn’t want to impact students’ financial aid.
Kirk found the idea of a bookstore credit humorous.
“That’s like if a restaurant gave me food poisoning and gave me a gift certificate to come back,” said Kirk, who is still “very open” to other restitution ideas.
Regarding required payments in Follett’s contract with the district, the company is up-to-date, Sullivan said.
Perea said she believes the district is now taking “the necessary steps to address all bookstore-related issues to avoid the same setbacks as we move forward into this new semester.”
“The next critical step would be to thoroughly identify all impacted students,” Perea said, “and to continue conversations with Follett bookstore to develop an appropriate restitution plan to make our students whole and to compensate the district for any loss of revenue that may have occurred during the fall semester.”
Stephanie Babb, a Clovis Community College spokesperson, said bookstore staff have been “very responsive to our concerns and questions.”
“Our main goal is to continue to work together to ensure the books and materials are available in the bookstore for our students to access and purchase,” Babb said. “A bookstore advisory group has been formed and meets regularly for updates.”
Fresno City College English professor and poet Lee Herrick is hoping for a smoother spring semester.
“Timely access to books is vital,” Herrick said. “Our students’ success should be paramount, and I hope the college and Board are doing everything possible to correct the problems so many professors and students experienced last semester.”
This story was originally published January 16, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
