Stop giving money to ASUA, buy your books somewhere else

For the past few years I have purchased my textbooks strictly from ASUA, willing to spend the extra money because I thought I was contributing to a good cause - that of my university. But those were idealistic times when I thought that ASUA could actually accomplish something positive with the money. Now I realize just how pointless it is to spend the extra money supporting Tara Taylor et al. to talk, but take no real action on any issues that matter to the student population at large.

Of course, this isn't Berkeley, but I believe ASUA should find better things to do with their money than sponsor lunchtime music fests and admonish the Wildcat for revealing Wilbur's true identity, especially when programs like childcare are poorly underfunded and neglected. If on campus, childcare got half the lip service Wilbur got, maybe ASUA could actually make a positive change on campus.

The fact is that students have a hard time parting with their money, and ASUA could make that parting a lot easier if the bookstore sold books at competitive prices and had normal return policies. The ASUA bookstore should not be a business, but should accommodate students and their financial situations.

If the money gained from the bookstore is used for the students, wouldn't they be doing a greater service just to charge market prices and let the students keep the difference? Maybe this would actually make them MORE competitive in the marketplace. But maybe ASUA managers haven't taken their Econ 200 courses.

This letter isn't to rag on ASUA. Instead, it's to tell all you students out there not to be the sheep that ASUA would certainly benefit from. Instead, look around you. The textbooks that you buy at inflated prices at the ASUA bookstore can be bought much cheaper at Rothers, Arizona Bookstore, Varsity, Barnes and Noble, and just about any other book retailer for MUCH cheaper. Not only that, but these stores are more likely to have books in stock, on time, and willing to refund your money.

Now I buy my books from on-line merchants. Even with shipping charges it still turns out to be cheaper. If you don't like ASUA bookstore policies, vote with your dollars and buy your books somewhere else.

And sure I'm contributing to the purses of some unfeeling cold-hearted capitalists. But I'd much rather do that than contribute to some unfeeling, self-righteous ASUA officers, and keep the extra money in my pocket.

Veneranda Aguirre
Political science junior