The opening ceremony for the Ivory M. Berry Textbook Assistance Program took place Monday, Aug. 20 at 9 a.m. in John B. Cade Library.
"It's a great milestone in Southern history," said Student Government Association President, Carey Ash a senior political science and history major from Baton Rouge during his opening speech. "This program is necessary because a carpenter can't build a house without a hammer and a student can't learn without a textbook."
Academic enchantment was the driving force for the program named after Southern Alumni, 2006 presidential candidate and mentor to Ash, Ivory M. Berry that will help incoming freshmen rent an available 40 books currently more promised in 2008.
Freshman now have the ability to go to the library then check the textbook as if it was a regular book for three weeks according to Ash.
Books currently available to rent are geared toward freshmen level courses because according to Ash, freshmen on average will spend around $689.50 for one semester since cost of books have risen with inflation for the last two decades.
John Dyar the store manager for Follett, the operator for the Southern University bookstore who ordered the books, felt that the books are very expensive because of publisher fees. He also believes that the Ivory M. Berry Textbook Assistance Program would help students get the tools they need.
Money for the program was supplied from Ash's waving his $4,000 scholarship given to the SGA president.
The Dean of Library, Emma Perry was moved by Ash's sacrifice for the library, which also added a new computer lab last semester.
"I think his sacrifice was honorable and for him to donate his resources to the students so they can check-out their much needed textbooks."
"One of the most important things that we want to teach students is about giving back ", said Interim Baton Rouge Chancellor Margaret Ambrose during a speech for ceremony. "If we are going to keep our students they are going to need textbooks."
The program is one of many administrative initiatives for their new student retention effort according to Ambrose who felt that one of the key ways to keep the new 1,100 freshmen currently enrolled at Southern is by helping them get textbooks.
Freshmen students like Ashton Evans; a Business major from Chicago, felt a great relief due to having the ability to rent his freshmen math book after the ceremony.
"I think it's a great program that gives students the ability to rent a book until they're able to afford one."
1 comments
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