The bookstore will send a Course Adoption Information Form to the Department Chairs/Lecturers which must be completed and returned to the bookstore within the timeframe allowed by the bookstore management. The Course Adoption Information Form is the document used to order textbooks and may be accessed from the Office. It is the responsibility of Department Chairs, Coordinators to order or advise instructors on ordering textbooks for all faculty. All textbook changes aside from edition changes must be approved by the appropriate head.
Textbook Guidelines: Choosing textbooks and related learning materials should be based on the relevance to course objectives and the cost to the student. The following guidelines should be followed when considering texts for adoption:
- Choose the lowest cost textbook without sacrificing educational quality.
- The same textbook shall be adopted for all sections of a given course within BAMSI; exceptions will be granted only by the appropriate head.
- A textbook shall be used a minimum of three years, with the exception of publisher’s edition changes and within specialized fields requiring more frequent, updated information (i.e., computers, etc.). Exceptions must be granted.
- The amount of support materials required for any class should be minimized without sacrificing the educational quality of the class. The instructor should also explore utilizing the library resources, including library loan, when available.
- The text information should be available to students as early as possible to give them opportunities to explore options for reducing costs.
- When possible, instructors should attempt to utilize textbooks/materials in multiple classes within a program. This will allow the student to use the same items for different parts of a program.
- Faculty should explore alternatives to the traditional textbook, such as electronic books, soft cover texts, custom books, and bundled and unbundled packages.
- Texts required for courses must be used in the course.