As you know, getting on-time course material adoptions is very important for college stores. However, it is also a topic where faculty and stores might not see eye to eye. Faculty often ask why adoption deadlines are so early. Here are five reasons you can share with faculty about why faculty adoptions deadlines are important.

5 reasons course material adoption deadlines are early

1. Provide students with greater access to low-cost course materials
   Adoption deadlines give the bookstore the time it needs to provide students with more low-cost options, helping ensure everyone has affordable access to the materials that best fit their learning style.
   
   
2. Students receive a better return at buyback
   When adoptions are made before the end of term, the bookstore knows which books it will need to stock again. This means the store can offer students a better return on their books and supply the next class of students with more affordable options.
   
   
3. Stores can implement more cost-saving solutions
   In order to initiate programs that are designed to provide significant cost savings to students like inclusive access, stores must know what materials will be used. There are many moving parts to an inclusive access program, but without an adoption commitment from faculty, none of them are possible.
   
   
4. Fewer backorders at the beginning of term
   Late adoptions and last-minute changes not only cost students more money, but they also lead to a scarce supply. Stores need time to find the requested materials and have them shipped. Last minute changes often result in higher priced materials, higher shipping costs and delays in getting materials into student hands.
   
   
5. HEOA compliance
   Signed into law in August of 2008, HEOA is an extension of the original Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965. It requires every higher learning institution in the United States that receives federal funding to disclose accurate course material information regarding ISBNs and retail prices. Such measures foster fair practice and transparency by allowing students to search for the most affordable textbook options. Early adoptions ensure the college store has time to stock low-cost materials that give students cost-saving opportunities.
   
   “It is the intent of this section to encourage all of the involved parties, including faculty, students, administrators, institutions of higher education, bookstores, distributors, and publishers, to work together to identify ways to decrease the cost of college textbooks and supplemental materials for students while supporting the academic freedom of faculty members to select high quality course materials for students.” Read the Higher Education Opportunity Act here.
    

Download five faculty adoption talking points here!