After having been under discussion for the past two years, UI is finally on the way to changing the VandalStore’s system of sourcing textbooks.
Recently, the university has been debating between leaving the VandalStore’s system as it is, getting books through an outside firm, or outsourcing the entire operation.
According to Director of Contracts & Purchasing Services Julia McIlroy, the university has come to a decision. The VandalStore’s textbooks are to be outsourced, leaving other merchandise and the store’s management under the university.
The UI evaluation board formed for the consideration of these options has officially recommended that VandalStore textbooks should be outsourced by an outside firm, Texas Book Company. The recommendation was evaluated and accepted by an executive committee that encompasses members from the Office of the President.
The contract is still in negotiation with Texas Book Company as well as the final board approval on details. Otherwise, Texas Book Company has been confirmed as UI’s new textbook provider.
This decision will come into full effect in the following 2020-2021 school year with the new fiscal year.
McIlroy claimed little will change for students looking for textbooks, “It will be exactly the same and visible to students.”
The outsourcing of books is meant to aid the store with a larger firm like Texas Book Company having greater access to a variety of textbook resources. This would allow the store to provide more rental and used book options, taking a burden off of the university.
“The goal all along has been to be student-centric and make books more affordable for students,” said McIlroy. ”That’s what I would anticipate seeing happen.”
Haadiya Tariq can be reached at [email protected]