Athletics Department spends $145,487 on books for student-athletes
Book rentals wait to be picked up by student athletes on Jan. 7 in the Lakeshore room of the University Center.
Class materials for Central Michigan student-athletes cost the Athletics Department $145,487 in the 2014-15 academic year.
The Athletics Department bought $193,982 in textbooks and other course items from the CMU Bookstore last year, which were sold back for $48,544 — one quarter of their original worth.
All full-scholarship student-athletes receive book loans, which covers all class materials needed each semester. It is up to head coaches to decide whether half-scholarship athletes will receive a book loan as part of their scholarships. Currently, 253 of CMU’s 400-plus student-athletes receive book loans as part of their scholarship.
Associate Athletics Director for Compliance Benjy Wilber said a list is given to the bookstore of student-athletes on the book loan, similarly to any student who can order through the bookstore, student-athletes’ class materials are boxed up and picked up by the athlete. The receipt is then given to the Athletic Compliance office.
Wilber said the Athletics Department buys books at the bookstore’s retail price, so no special discount is given.
He also said the NCAA sets $800 as a placeholder for student-athlete book loans — $400 per semester. However, student-athletes' needs may vary, depending on how many classes and what subjects they take.
Student-athletes must return all books at the end of each semester to the bookstore, just like any student would return a rental book.
According to the student-athlete handbook, student-athletes who fail to return book(s) during the scheduled time or who choose to keep the book(s) for their own personal use will be billed for one-half the original retail price of the book(s).
“If a student wants to keep a book, they can. We just charge their account,” Wilber said. “If they’re in a math (field) and they need to keep that book for progression, they just get charged for that book. We charge them half of whatever we were charged by the bookstore.”
Freshman soccer forward Adriana Ramon said the process makes getting class materials extremely easy for student-athletes, who have busy practice and academic schedules.
"You just go (to the Lakeshore Room in the University Center) and they grab a box of books and give it to you," Ramon said. "We don't have to even have to bring a class schedule. They have a list of names. It's really helpful to not have to worry about getting a book or books from different places and spending a lot of money on them."
