 |
 |
By Amy C. Schweigert
Arizona Daily Wildcat
September 11, 1996
A new partnership among UA departments has caused delays for students who need to purchase Class Notes from the UA Associated Students Bookstore.Class notes are packages of information professors compile for students to use in their classes. The notes are used in conjunction and sometimes independently of text books and range from 36 cents to $54.50.
In a memo distributed through the university, professors were informed that production and distribution problems were delaying the printing and distribution of the Class Notes.
Close to 300 classes are using the notes this semester, said Lynda Kelly, a custom publishing and academic support representative from the UA Associated Students Bookstore.
Bookstore employees said that various factors contributed to the delay, including a new layout of the lower level of the bookstore, the changing of the location where Class Notes are kept, a lot of reorders, and copyright glitches.
However, the greatest delay was caused by the establishment of a partnership this semester between Printing and Publishing Support Services/Graphics, Fast Copy, and the bookstore, Kelly said.
The partnership was done in an effort to streamline, she said. "Of course, we got all the streamlining glitches."
Although all copying of material for the notes is done on campus, the entites that make up the partnership are located at different points, Kelly said.
She said Printing and Publishing and Fast Copy produce the notes, and the bookstore sells them.
Lacey Martz, UA political science senior and employee at Fast Copy, said employees extended their hours during the rush to get the notes ready for the fall semster. Even though the employees kept longer hours, the copy machines could only produce so quickly, Kelly said.
The longest one waiting time for reordered Class Notes was between 36 to 48 hours, Martz said.
"In essence, we were not any further behind than we ever were in the past," she said.
"Now, the most time reorders should take is one full day," Martz said.
In the future, the bookstore is going to work more closely with Fast Copy in determining the amount of notes to be ordered, Kelly said.
She said the bookstore is experienced in knowing how much product is needed.
"We do our best to take an educated guess," Martz said.
"Sometimes that crystal ball gets foggy," Kelly said.
Susan White, associate English professor, said, "(The delay) created more confusion at beginning at semester."
"It seems like there's been a communication problem with them," she said.
Before any material is copied for classes, approval is needed to avoid copyright infringement, Kelly said.
"It seems the whole issue of copyright has gotten so complex," White said.
Kelly said it could take anywhere from four to six weeks for copyright approval to be granted.
"People really underestimate copyright time," she said.
Professors can turn in material up to a year ahead of time to ease delay problems at the beginning of the semester, Kelly said.
She said the fall semester is usually more chaotic than the spring because there are more classes, students, freshmen and professors who turn in more detailed notes.
Ryan Nagata, business sophomore, said he had to go to the bookstore five times to look for two packets of notes.
He said he was unable to study for one quiz because he did not have the notes.
"It's just a pain in the ass to come back here and wait in line to buy one 60 cent thing," Nagata said.
|
|
|