BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALE: Looks like students at Purdue, a public university in West Lafayette, IN, will be saving some money this fall. The university announced a partnership with Amazon, which will increase convenience and decrease the costs of textbooks for students. Through the Purdue Student Store on Amazon, students will be able to buy and rent textbooks at a lower cost and enjoy free one-day shipping by early 2015. Amazon will also provide staffed customer order pickup and dropoff locations on Purdue’s campus.
The potential student savings from this initiative are about 30% a year, explained Frank Dooley, interim vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs. According to the College Board, students at public universities spend over $1,200 a year on books and supplies, which is “roughly 12 percent of Purdue’s in-state tuition,” said Dooley.
The partnership with Amazon is the latest in a series of affordability and accessibility initiatives at Purdue, as the university has placed a three-year freeze on tuition and has reduced the cost of room and board by 5% for the second year in a row, according to the press release on Purdue’s website.
