Bookstore Brings Back Buyback

By Broadside Assistant News Editor Justin Petrisek

The George Mason University Bookstore is bringing back last semester’s Mason Buyback Contest. Starting May 4, and continuing through May 13, all Mason-recognized student groups and organizations are allowed to participate in the contest. Students who choose to sell back their textbooks through the contest during these ten days will earn points for their respective organization, the winner with the most points receiving $300 for their organization.

“For every dollar that a student receives back for their textbooks, a point will be attributed to their student organization,” said Jonathan Howard, the Textbook Manager at the Mason Bookstore. “All the students need to do is write the name of their ‘Mason-recognized’ student group at the bottom of the slip.”

The bookstore is looking to spread the word about the Buyback Contest. “Last semester we had well over 100 recognized student groups participating in the contest,” stated Howard. The bookstore hopes to, along with giving students more money back, keep more used books on campus and keep prices of textbooks down for students in upcoming semesters.

“Unfortunately, we do not set the prices of textbooks, the prices are set by the publishers. We have a markup on the books, which is agreed upon by the university with a percentage of that money going directly back to the university, but the bookstore will not be increasing its markup from previous semesters,” stressed Howard.

“I’m glad to see that the bookstore is finally trying to do at least something to keep the prices of textbooks down,” said Kassandra Jackson, a sophomore and biology major. “I spent well over $600 on textbooks this semester alone. But will it actually keep prices down? Well, we’ll see I guess.”

The bookstore stresses that points will only be rewarded if students present a valid name of the organization on the buyback slip, employees will not ask, and must sell back books at one of the three bookstore sponsored locations of Southside, Eisenhower Hall, and the Johnson Center, Room 116.