Every year, many students make the somewhat dreaded trip to the Student Union Bookstore to buy hundreds of dollars worth of books not knowing where all of their money will go.
“The students’ dollars go right back in to support student activities and student life,” said Mitch Kilcrease, Student Union director.
The money the bookstore brings in makes up 85 percent of the total Student Union operating costs including salaries, utilities, maintenance and one-third of the Campus Life operational budget.
The Student Union Bookstore operates on a 20 percent gross margin markup on all books compared to the industry gross margin, which operates on a 25 percent markup.
“[The 20 percent markup] has been our policy for more than 30 years,” Kilcrease said.
The Student Union Activities Board receives some of its money from the profit the bookstore brings in.
“SUAB puts on many activities throughout the year for students,” said Kathleen Kennedy, SUAB adviser. “We take surveys and really try to provide activities that all students will enjoy.”
SUAB does fundraising throughout the year with poster sales, movie tickets and Freshman Follies tickets, but the majority of the budget comes from the bookstore.
“I would guess we get around $20,000 from the bookstore each month,” Kennedy said.
Without the bookstore, the money that supports a lot of campus activities would have to come from some other place.
“If we didn’t have the profit from the bookstore that we have, we would be forced to seek additional funding, which would probably raise student fees to cover the costs that the bookstore covers now,” Kilcrease said.
Some students are pleased to know where their dollars are going.
“I’m glad to know students are benefiting from the profits,” said Zach Hartpence, a business sophomore. “I always buy my books from the Student Union bookstore just out of convenience, but I’m glad to know the money helps the students out.”
Some places, like Amazon.com, offer books required for some OSU classes at a cheaper price.
“Many places do offer some books for a cheaper price,” Kilcrease said. “I think you will find that although some are less expensive, others are more. Our 20 percent markup remains constant.
“They use the cheap prices to rope you in.”
Overall, the Student Union Bookstore is spending the students’ money in a beneficial way.
“I think students would agree that it is better to have the books marked up 20 percent than have additional fees added on,” Hartpence said.
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