Common Questions (and Answers) About Equitable Access

Institutions of all types and sizes are partnering with Barnes & Noble College to implement equitable access programs. While EA programs like BNC’s First Day® Complete help improve access, convenience and save students between 35-50% on the cost of course materials, there are lingering questions and myths about how it works, and whether it benefits all students. 

Does equitable access really save students money? YES. 
Is it more convenient? YES. 
Does it improve access to course materials for all students? YES. 
Are faculty still able to select the print and digital course materials of their choice, including OER? YES. 
Are students more prepared for class? YES. 
Can students opt-out if they chose? YES. 

Three university leaders sat down to discuss their institution’s First Day® Complete programs, its positive impact on students, and and dispel common misconceptions.  Watch the full conversation here and read the highlights below to clear up questions about the value of equitable access programs. 

FACULTY DO MAINTAIN FULL ACADEMIC FREEDOM

Faculty expect academic freedom to adopt print, or digital or OER course materials so they can teach the way they want to teach. Administrators want the most affordable and most convenient access to course materials for their students. First Day Complete meets both these needs.

“I want to emphasize also the academic freedom here. We do not dictate to the faculty what to use or what not to use. This is not our position at all. They make a decision and we, with our partners at Barnes & Noble College, we make it happen. Nothing is exempted. Lab components are all included in the program with the same rate, flat rate.”
-Shahrooz Moosavizedeh, Ph. D., Professor of Mathematics, Director of SAIL program, Norfolk State University

STUDENTS DO BENEFIT BY HAVING EVERYTHING THEY NEED BEFORE DAY 1

Students want an easy, convenient, and lowest-cost way to be prepared before the first day of class and the flexibility to participate in the program or opt-out each academic term. Providing them with everything they need, all in one place, ensures they can focus on academics as soon as classes start.

“The Store Manager said, “We have all these people buying early, this huge shift in the demand curve up earlier in the semester.” And what that leads to then, as Monika said, students are prepared for the first day of class, which is the whole reason for this program. So not only is it convenient, but because of the convenience it’s driving better outcomes academically. It’s those two things coming together. So, I was super pleased because I never succeeded in that myself as a self-operator, nor just doing the inclusive access did we succeed in that. It was going to the equitable access model that shifted that behavior for the students to have them be better prepared.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

“I’ll just add, the flexibility of this program is really fantastic because there are students who the program might not benefit that semester. We see the bigger benefit is maybe for some of the students in the first year and the sophomores where they have more of the required courses, have the big-ticket items, your Calculus One books and all those. The flexibility of it is simply if it doesn’t benefit you that semester, you opt out and you make a decision again the following semester.”
-Monika Skuriat Fritz, MBA, Director, Business Partnerships & Marketing, Auxiliary Services, Lehigh University

“97% of the students surveyed said that the program saved them time because they picked it up all in one spot. And Monika mentioned earlier, and remember, I was the Director of the self-operated store, as you said in the intro, I didn’t think you could airdrop people in there and make them change their behaviors, but we did. And we noticed a significant shift. I saw people carrying the… We had a branded bag, we had everybody pick up the materials in and people walking around very early. I thought, “What is going on? Why are people here so early? It’s the summer. Why are they here?” And I saw more and more of that. I saw people coming out of the store with pleased looks on their faces, and just having a good experience.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

“We saw similar convenience data in that students are thinking that this is a much more convenient option. We did partner with our mail center, which is on the second floor of our store for the distribution of all the physical materials, which was really helpful. And we definitely have ways to even streamline it even further going into spring and fall semester. So that convenience factor was key.”
-Monika Skuriat Fritz, MBA, Director, Business Partnerships & Marketing, Auxiliary Services, Lehigh University

EQUITABLE ACCESS MAKES EDUCATION MORE AFFORDABLE. PARENTS ARE TAKING NOTE.

Parents want their student’s academic journey to be as successful, cost effective, and convenient as possible. These are all factors they consider when helping their student select a school or considering options for continuing their education. They appreciate the convenience of First Day Complete.

“The parents really are the ones who liked this program. They’re the ones who often are footing the cost of education.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

“The parents simply will not allow NSU to forego this program. This program today is part of the culture and it’s here to stay for a long time to come.”
-Shahrooz Moosavizedeh, Ph. D., Professor of Mathematics, Director of SAIL program, Norfolk State University

“And so that to me was huge just from the feedback that we got, and a number of parents who went out of their way to tell us how much they appreciated [the program]. And we were one of the first adopters in our area. And so that was a big key as well because then some of the competing universities around started adopting.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

THE IMPACT OF EQUITABLE ACCESS SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.

Implementing a new program can be challenging on any campus, with many different stakeholders weighing in on their unique priorities. Change can be difficult to navigate, but the results will pay off once stakeholders experience the benefits firsthand. Our implementation blueprint guides the way.

“That program [inclusive access] automatically becomes the culture on your campus. After that, you do not need the office of the Provost or the backing of the faculty [to expand to equitable access], mainly because the students will take over and they will not allow for the program to fade and for them to go back to the old way of business.”
-Shahrooz Moosavizedeh, Ph. D., Professor of Mathematics, Director of SAIL program, Norfolk State University

“The lesson that I learned quickly was just to stay the course. You’re going to have folks who are not going to understand and who are going to push back. But as Dr. M. said, the program’s going to speak for itself. It’s going to sell itself. You don’t have to go to a hard sale and go to combat with everybody. If you just stay the course and you’re confident in decisions you made the program that you built, in the end… We saw a 10% improvement one year over the next in our opt-out rate. It becomes part of the culture and students decide this is convenient, it’s affordable, and this is the best way to do things. And you just have to be confident in your original decision and the people who helped you make that decision and stick with it even when maybe some people don’t understand it and aren’t as supportive.”
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

You’ve got to see the long view and not get caught up in the bumps and understanding that just like anything else you do on campus, you’re going to have some people object. That’s okay. It doesn’t mean you’re doing the wrong thing.
– Jeff Sickman, Controller, Assistant Treasurer, University of Southern Indiana

“And I like to add that Barnes & Noble College was a huge help. This plan, this program is well organized. And I mentioned about PowerPoints, I mentioned about QA, and I mentioned about training. All those PowerPoint slides, QAs, if you will, they were all provided by Barnes & Noble. We met regularly for a few months, actually weekly meetings that we had. So as far as what to do, how to market, how to train your faculty, who to approach and things of that nature, Barnes & Noble is well-prepared to steer your way for a successful campaign.”
-Shahrooz Moosavizedeh, Ph. D., Professor of Mathematics, Director of SAIL program, Norfolk State University

To learn more about First Day^® Complete from the student perspective, watch our video – and to learn more about how BNC can support the academic journey on your campus, contact us.