Reality

I really think Matt needs to move into reality on <a href="http://www.leftinthewest.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2571">this one</a> about the cost of college textbooks. His solution?<br />n<br />n<blockquote>What if a state simply mandated that universities and schools pick up the tab for textbooks that are required for courses? The schools could be allowed to alter tuition to pay for the books — but the changes in tuition have to be flat or by department. Very quickly, schools would have great incentives to watch the prices of books closely.</blockquote><br />n<br />nWhat incentive would there be for the university to watch the cost of books? They would just up the tuition more, as if it isn't high enough all ready, since there would now be no accountability for the costs of books. It would be hidden in the tuition fee so publishers and colleges could even charge more than before. Try to say the college can't charge full price for the book, and they will just fold the charge in somewhere else to the people paying for college. Believe me, the colleges won't pay for the books and they will find a way to make money for having to administer the program. <br />n<br />nSorry, rolling the cost of books in with the tuition will only increase prices even further for colleges making the problem even worse not make the cost of textbooks lower. Life don't work that way.