Sen. Franken Working to Save Minnesota Students Money on College Textbooks

Press Release

Sen. Franken's bill to tackle the rising cost of textbooks for college students has been endorsed by several student body leaders from the University of Minnesota.

In an effort to tackle the rising costs of textbooks for college students in Minnesota, Sen. Franken recently introduced the Affordable College Textbook Act, which would expand open access textbooks by putting textbook resources online and help give students cheaper alternatives to expensive textbooks and supplies. In a letter to Minnesota Daily--the student newspaper of the University of Minnesota--several student body leaders endorsed the effort and thanked Sen. Franken for his legislation:

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"If passed, the bill would expand the use of open educational resources and provide a framework for sharing educational materials and best practices. This legislation will save students money by increasing the use of low-cost, high-quality materials in college classrooms. Franken deserves the praise of both students and educators for his work toward this goal. We hope Congress acts swiftly to pass this legislation.

With the cost of higher education rising at unsustainable rates, students are facing unprecedented challenges in paying for college. Often seen as a peripheral cost in the past, the cost of textbooks is now front and center in the college affordability conversation.

The cost of textbooks has become a barrier to academic success. College textbook prices skyrocketed by 82 percent between 2002 and 2012."

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