After saving students approximately $2.2 million dollars in its first year of operation, according to retail services, TAAP has raised its per credit hour membership price.
The Textbook Affordability and Access Program, or TAAP, is an optional program that charges students a flat fee per credit hour to receive all of their course materials. Students receive their physical and digital course materials on or before the first day of class without paying out-of-pocket fees for individual orders.
The membership fee for fall 2024 is $25 (plus tax), $3 higher per credit hour than TAAP’s first two semesters of operation.
TAAP has begun its third semester with a higher rate of students that have decided to TAAP-in than previous semesters. The first year of TAAP showed an overall retention rate of 81%, with 8,400 students opting in during the fall and 8,200 students opting in during the spring semester, according to data from Director of Retail Services Paul Deniston.
The TAAP-in retention rate for this semester currently stands at approximately 90%, but that rate is expected to decrease as the census date approaches.
Deniston cited a national survey conducted by On Campus Research and funded by the National Association of College Stores that showed that the top reason students opt to stay in an equitable access program is because of the convenience. The survey collected approximately 16,000 responses across 36 educational institutions.
“Anecdotally, we find that, often times, students will see that it’s maybe $10, $15, $50 more expensive to opt [in]…, but they decide to stay in because it’s easy and convenient and they know they’re getting the right things,” Deniston said.
Students are automatically opted in but can choose to opt out of the program until the census date on Sept. 12. Students are encouraged to access the TAAP portal available on the UCCS website and their myUCCS portal to make an informed decision about the program.
Executive Director of Auxiliary Services Larry Lee described TAAP as the nation’s most innovative and dynamic equitable access program in operation.
“We’re the only institution currently doing this. Every [UCCS] student receives a personalized value sheet showing the cost of TAAP versus the cost of the materials on the open market if they choose to opt out. The reason we do that is, if it’s not right for you we don’t want you in,” Lee said.
The TAAP portal links students to their individualized value sheet, which provides the estimated charge of the course materials through TAAP compared with their current market prices.
Justine O’Neil, a growth professional for marketing and communications for auxiliary services, successfully embedded TAAP information into other departments, including the Bursar’s Office, to provide students additional information regarding charges. Students will also now receive text messages from the UCCS app, emails from Academic Advising and the Bursar’s Office about TAAP membership billing.
To bridge the gap in communication regarding the program, O’Neil strongly suggests that students monitor their emails providing information about TAAP and do further research to see if remaining opted into this membership is beneficial for them.
The Office of Provost forwarded an email to faculty members which provided additional details about TAAP and how to inform students about its impacts, though faculty is not advised to recommend students to opt in or out.
Students with questions about TAAP can contact the bookstore by emailing [email protected] or calling 719-255-3247.