Nearly the Weekend
In this Issue:
- Why I Still Believe – new blog post from Dr. Wente
- Textbook buyback and rental return
- Interim and/or Summer Housing reminders
By the time you read this around 5 p.m., the school week will be over. And then we have only six more days of classes: LDOC (Last Day of Class) is Monday, April 28.
The last full week of spring semester classes is normally quite a challenge. And that challenge is not just because of looming finals: it is just as much about the beautiful weather, which makes you want to stay outside and have fun – not do work.
I remember one spring as an undergraduate at Wake, one of my faculty members was doing his darnedest to lecture us about Modern Fiction. The windows were open, and just outside our classroom in Tribble was a tree in full bloom – tons of white flowers everywhere. It was such a stellar day, and the beauty of the outdoors was such a distraction, that he ultimately dismissed us with the order to go outside and witness the beauty. It was an unexpected move from a professor who had a reputation as a bit of a curmudgeon, but a welcome one. And the day was indeed great, and we took advantage.
All that to say the struggle is real, folks. If your students seem distracted and like they have a bad case of Spring Fever, they do 🙂
On to today’s news!
Why I Still Believe – new blog post from Dr. Wente
In yesterday’s edition of the WFU Should Know e-newsletter, which goes out each Thursday to students, there was a reflection by President Wente in her blog, From Wente’s Desk. The post is titled Why I Still Believe, and as someone who has spent the bulk of her professional career working in higher ed, it really resonated with me. Here is a snippet:
“I am often asked: ‘President Wente, how can you stay optimistic about the future of higher education?’
It’s a fair and poignant question, especially right now. Higher education faces immense headwinds: a shifting political climate, deep public skepticism, and funding uncertainty. So, why do I still believe? In this month’s From Wente’s Desk, I reflect on the importance of higher education as a public good, our responsibility to clearly demonstrate that value, and the power of belief plus action.”
You can read the full post here.
Textbook buyback and rental return information
It’s textbook buyback and rental return season at the Bookstore in Taylor Hall (April 28 – May 10). Students will want to be sure to take advantage of buyback options, and for those who have rented textbooks, it is very important that they make a plan to return them on time!
Why is it important to return rentals or sell back books to the Taylor Bookstore? For students, it:
- Reduces the cost of textbooks by increasing our used book inventory for future courses; this minimizes the need for the Bookstore to purchase new books each term – which has a great impact on affordability, availability and sustainability
- Provides credit to their debit card for books the student does not want to keep
- Eliminates shipping costs that may be incurred with online buyback/return
In terms of buyback pricing, the price offered for books or other course materials varies by market demand and which textbooks the faculty have indicated they plan to use for Summer or Fall classes. The Bookstore generally offers one of three buyback prices:
- Retail value: The book/course material will be used for a future class/we know at the time of buyback that we need that book for a future Wake class
- Wholesale value: The book/course material is not currently known to be needed for a future class at Wake, but has national bluebook value.
- Marketplace value: The book/course material is not currently known to be needed for a future class at Wake but has a value through marketplace channels, because global demand is great.
Some books/course materials have little or no market value and cannot be bought back. These may include books that are not going to be used in future Wake classes, are in poor condition, are loose leaf books, are soon to be an old edition (and no longer current material), etc. These books are donated to Better World Books as part of our sustainability efforts.
A few terms to know: what is the difference between a buyback, check-in, and a return?
- Buyback is the process of selling back used books to the store for credit to your debit card. The amount offered for the used book is determined by its condition, store need, and market value.
- Check-in is the process of bringing back rented textbooks to the bookstore. The student’s rental record is updated to reflect that their rental books are checked in.
- Return is when books and/or merchandise are returned to the Bookstore accompanied by a receipt; these are eligible for a refund of the purchase price according to Bookstore policy.
Important: for rented books, there is typically a deadline to return their rental. Students renting course materials should make a plan to return their rentals by their due date to avoid extra fees. Where do students find the rental return? It was emailed to them on the original Follett rental agreements that they signed, so they will want to search their WFU email for that Follett rental agreement to see the date. The Bookstore emails students at the end of each semester reminding them to return their materials as the due date approaches.
If your Deacs have questions about any of this, they can see any Bookstore Team Member for details.
Interim and/or Summer Housing reminders
The Office of Residence Life and Housing sent resident students a message about interim housing, summer housing, and inspection of AEDs (i.e., defibrillators) next week.
Many of you might have a long weekend because of the Passover and Easter holidays. Wishing you a wonderful weekend!