UHV to launch textbook affordability program
Getting access to textbooks can be an expensive endeavor. Thankfully, there is some relief on the horizon for University of Houston-Victoria students.
Beginning this fall semester, UHV is set to implement the Campus Textbook Access Program, aiming to improve student success and reduce textbook costs.
The program is designed to provide all enrolled undergraduate and graduate students with access to required course materials by the first day of class. UHV anticipates the program will save students more than $1 million in the upcoming academic year.
The program, developed in collaboration with Follett, will automatically add textbook costs to student fee bills, allowing students to access course materials more affordably. Students will have the option to opt out of the program within the first 12 class days if the program doesn’t suit their needs, said Beverly Shuford, UHV vice president for administration and finance.
“Research shows that students who have their textbooks on the first day of class are much more successful,” Shuford said. “This program allows that to happen while making textbooks extremely more affordable.”
Some key features of the program include textbooks that are available in both digital and physical formats; the ability to use financial aid for materials; optional participation with an easy opt-out process; and materials delivered through Canvas or available for pickup at the Jag Station campus bookstore.
The program will operate as a flat-rate fee, automatically charging students each semester unless students choose to opt out. The program is offered on an “all in” or all out” basis, meaning students cannot select individual courses to participate. Students who choose to opt out by the official drop date of Sept. 17 for Fall 2025 will receive a full refund. The fee may change annually based on the cost of materials.
“This program removes the financial hurdle that often delays students’ academic progress,” said Daniel White, UHV interim associate provost of Curriculum and Student Success. “No longer will students have to wait weeks to access critical learning resources.”
During its pilot launch, UHV students saved $67,240 in Fall 2023 and $159,319 in Spring 2024. Approved by the university’s board, the program fees are $297.50 for undergraduates per semester, plus sales tax for a total of $322.04. Graduate students enrolled in seven or more credit hours pay $257 plus tax, totaling $278.20. Graduate students enrolled in six hours or less pay $154 plus tax, for a total of $166.71.
Students can learn more about the program at https://www.uhv.edu/administration-finance/ctap/.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.