While college students are still recovering from paying tuition, their wallets take another blow when they visit their university bookstore.

A report conducted by the US Government Accountability Office states that textbook prices have risen nearly 300 percent over the rate of inflation from 1986 to 2004, while tuition has only increased 240 percent. During this period, inflation was 72 percent.

The rising cost of college textbooks has been a continuing concern with state legislators, but recently Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn jumped on the boat this August by unveiling five initiatives he feels state universities and book publishers should practice.

The fifth of the initiatives encouraged schools to establish rental programs.

Having been renting students their textbooks since the school started in 1899, Eastern made its decision about high priced textbooks over a century ago.

In an era when state funding is a necessity for higher education, Eastern, as well as Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, stand as examples that expense saving alternatives for students do work.

Eastern students pay $7.95 per credit hour for their books. At 12 credit hours, students pay $95.40 for books per semester. The Illinois Board of Higher Education Student Advisory Committee in a textbook affordability recommendations report estimated that an Eastern student pays an average of $250 annually for their books, while students at the University of Illinois pay as much as $950.

“We have not had any calls recently from the Lt. Gov. Quinn or his office,” said President Lou Hencken. “Last year, when Gov. Blagojevich asked IBHE to study the idea for textbook rental at other universities we did receive a number of telephone calls.”

In fall 2004, the governor’s office asked IBHE to investigate the feasibility of state institutions implementing textbook rental systems.

At IBHE’s February 2005 meeting, reports submitted by several state universities indicated that “the startup costs and preexisting contractual obligations” made implementing textbook rental systems almost impossible.

If a substantial effort is made on the state’s part to start textbook rental services or assist in funding their development at schools then those barriers could be overcome, said Student Senate Speaker Adam Howell.

“Unless that happens, state schools will not be unable to support this,” he said about Quinn’s initatives.

The University of Illinois, while not planning to start a textbook rental system, has made recent efforts to relieve students of pricey textbook costs.

“Rental is not an option, but we are looking at other things,” said UIUC spokesperson Robin Kaler.

Among these things is what Kaler referred to as the “Pilot Project.” The university’s bookstore, library and Provost office worked together this year to provide books for more than 600 classes to be on reserve in the library. Meaning, students can use the library’s copy of a class’s book for homework, but the book can’t leave the building.

UIUC isn’t the only university looking for cheaper textbook options. While a rental system seems problematic because of start up costs, Western Illinois University will soon make class syllabus available online during the summer so students can purchase their books elsewhere, said Western’s Student Senate Speaker Scott McFarland.

Western’s Student Government Association Education Committee did look at SIUE and Eastern’s textbook rental systems as a template for starting their own system while writing a report to send to their administration, McFarland said.