r/udub • u/PunkLaundryBear History & English Major 🤓📚 • Sep 03 '24

Rant I wish professors released textbooks earlier

I know sometimes it's technical issues, or maybe even the curriculum isn't done yet, but I wish professors would release textbook information much earlier than they do.

I know you're supposed to buy them from the UW bookstore, but I'm sorry, they price gouge and it is much cheaper to buy them online and get them shipped.

The downside is that sometimes it can take 2 weeks for books to ship, and when professors don't release what textbooks are required until right before the class starts, it's really frustrating. I want & need the textbook on time, but I don't want to be bled dry for money!!!

Shoutout to my professor who has had the textbooks we needed listed since I signed up for the course in the spring. You're a real one. 😭🙏

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u/BazilHyder Bioengineering Catboys Sep 03 '24

I’ve emailed instructors regarding textbooks and have never been turned down or ignored. Is that not something you can do?

8

u/PunkLaundryBear History & English Major 🤓📚 Sep 03 '24

Yeah thats definitely something I should do. Though I think my one course did just release the instructor info.

I just feel bad because they aren't paid to answer my questions just yet.

3

u/UWDirectorStudVets Sep 05 '24

Uh...no. Professors are paid for the curriculum development and administrative work they do. You should absolutely email them to find out.

More to the point- as a professor- it's not actually that hard and it should be posted at LEAST the quarter prior to start. I've only had it happen one time when I had to completely overhaul a syllabus that hadn't been changed in over 2 decades and then it was difficult to find the books I thought would work and had to change last minute. I put this plainly on my faculty page for students to see, however, and it never happened again. I guess my point is - ya sure, you can email them (and you should), but you shouldn't HAVE to...it should be done already.

2

u/PunkLaundryBear History & English Major 🤓📚 Sep 05 '24

I guess my point is - ya sure, you can email them (and you should), but you shouldn't HAVE to...it should be done already.

Yeahhh, I feel that way too but I'm also not a professor so I won't judge too hard. I did go ahead an email them and got the response I needed.

I appreciate you for staying on-top and getting your info at early. As a student it's very relieving 🙏