TAMIU Books IncludED optional next fall, pilot program continues for spring

By David Gomez Jr.
Editor-in-chief
Published Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021

The TAMIU Books IncludED pilot program continues into the Spring 2022 semester while Fall 2022 becomes optional.

“So right now you’ll see the charge of Books IncludED and then the credit for the semester you were paying and then again in the spring,” Texas A&M International University Vice President for Finance & Administration Juan J. Castillo said.

“Well in the Fall 2022 semester, you might see it [charged on your total bill] and you might think, ‘That’s too expensive and I don’t need that many materials and I can get it someplace else,’ then you can opt out and [we] credit you that back.”

This will be a service for students. Instead of being charged monthly like Netflix or Disney+, it will be per semester.

“So what we’re proposing is a fee between $29 to $49,” Associate Director of Budget, Payroll & Fiscal Analysis Denisse Garza said. “We don’t know exactly what it’ll be yet.”

The proposed fee is not set in stone. She explained the process of the fee a bit further.

“Basically, we’re going to do a study of how much books will cost [per] semester and we break that down per semester credit hours to students.”

At the hearing, even the University’s top leader had a few words to share as well and added some perspective to it.

“Let’s say you only have one class that semester, well it might be better if you opt out,” TAMIU President Pablo Arenaz presented an example scenario to those few present during a Q&A following the presentation. “As opposed to four classes [when] required books at the bookstore [total] $600 [versus] just one class.”

Many students currently, and before, may have attained hand-me-down required books or acquired through online sources. The TAMIU Student Network on Facebook is still a popular place for many students to sell or exchange textbooks.

“If the class doesn’t benefit you, or if you decide you can get the book from a friend, or something, you can opt out that semester,” Garza said.

The coming spring semester will see the same charge, and credit, as Fall 2021 on student’s Pay My Bill under My Records folder.

“This is all for fall of next year,” Castillo reminds. “Next semester, [Spring 2021,] it will be totally free.”