The Associate Students, Inc. (ASI) Textbook Reimbursement Scholarship Program existed for several years, but was modified during this assessment year from a voucher to a reimbursement from Financial Aid. In the past, the program assisted a handful of students and most of the money was unused. The changes to the program and aggressive marketing led to a tremendous student response.
The ASI student leaders recognized that textbooks are a necessity for most courses and the cost of textbooks continues to increase, adding to the overall cost of education. To help students who struggle to pay for their college education, the student leaders decided to allocate a portion of the student body fees toward the reduction of the cost of educational materials.
The student leaders demonstrated an awareness that the financial impact is greater for some students than for others, leading to an opportunity gap. Thus, the textbook reimbursement scholarship was initially announced to various student populations with a demonstrated financial need, prior to being advertised to the rest of campus as an intentional effort to support students in need first and foremost. The emphasis for the program and outreach was to make access to education on this campus more equitable.
The ASI Textbook Scholarship Program helped 123 students in fall 2021 and 190 students in spring 2022 with the cost of their educational textbooks. Below are responses from 109 students who completed a survey about the program.
How important was this scholarship in helping you purchase the books you needed this semester?
| Response | Number of students |
|---|---|
| Extremely important | 101 |
| Somewhat important | 8 |
| Not important | 0 |
| Other | 0 |
Due to budget constraints, the maximum per person award was $150. This amount is:
| Response | Number of students |
|---|---|
| Too much | 0 |
| Just right | 30 |
| Adequate | 37 |
| Not enough | 34 |
| Other | 8 |
What influences your decision when purchasing your textbooks? Check all that apply.
| Response | Number |
|---|---|
| Convenience of location | 30 |
| Price | 96 |
| Preference for online shopping | 32 |
| Preference for in-person shopping | 10 |
| Time it takes to get books | 65 |
| Preference for renting | 36 |
| Preference for digital | 47 |
| Preference for hardback or paperback | 30 |
| Other | 5 |
The data indicate the program served an important need, based on the feedback from the program participants that was collected in the evaluation questionnaire. Overall, the results of the survey confirm that ASI's commitment to addressing the cost of education was appropriate and helped students in a significant way by offsetting the cost of textbooks that make paying for college expenses a challenge for many Cal State LA students.
ASI's Board of Directors voted to increase the funding for the Textbook Reimbursement Scholarship Program last fall due to the overwhelming demand from students, and because all of the funds were allocated. As a result, the budget for the 2022–23 academic year was increased with the intent to serve as many students in need as possible. A survey will also be sent to students who receive the scholarship to continue the analysis of the program need and whether it continues to make an impact.