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Vol. XXIX, NO. 4 Spelman Atlanta, Georgia FEBRUARY 1985 Book Prices at CWB cause tension by Marie Roberts Discrepancies in pricing have caused the tension between the student body and the College World Bookstore (CWB) to grow. The last incident reported was that of a $17 literature book being sold for $34, but it was only wood to an already blazing fire. The mistake was discovered by members of Dr. Anne Warner's 20th Century Literature class, who had purchased the book from the Atlanta University Bookstore (AUB). When the error was brought to the atten tion of Mary Louise Simmons, the CWB manager, it was ex cused as an error, and the students were refunded the difference in the two prices. "I don’t know how the price could have gotten like that," said Simmons. "The only way that I can think of is that someone did not change their price stamper from something else that he had priced.” William Singleton, textbook manager in the AUB, agreed that confusing price stampers is not difficult or uncommon since they are usually kept next to one another. This, however, seems to be a reoccurring incident. The con tract between Spelman and the bookstore requires texts to be sold at publisher list price, but several complaints have been filed by staff members on the failure to abide by this agree ment. Both the Education Department and the Math Department have recorded such cases. Boundary Value Problems, a math text which was originally selling for $30 in CWB, was reduced to $22.50 after several complaints. It was sold to the bookstore at $18 a copy, and sold by the publisher to individual students for $24.50 plus postage. Debora Davis, a senior at Spelman, purchased a text for her Education 300 course only to later find that at $36 it was extremely over-priced. “I was told that the publisher thought $36 was an outrageous price, and that he would only charge $24,” said Davis. Sometime later Davis purchas ed another book for the same course with a $21.95 sticker on the outside. Upon opening the text, she discovered the publisher's price was $6.95. When she reported this to a store employee it was said to be an error and sold to her for a lower price. Until Valarie Brittian, a junior at Spelman, questioned the price of her biology text it was $28. “When I asked about the price they said it was a pricing error. Then they took it into the back and changed the price to $22.50,” she said. Though rumors have it that the AUB is less expensive that the CWB, this should not be so. The AUB adds a percentage mark-up to their books which prices them over the publisher list price; both stores have a 30% mark-up on their clothing; and the ma jority of their cosmetics and other supplies are equally pric ed. Their book return policies are also similar. They each buy back editions which will be used the following year at half price, it they are in good condition. Books which will not be used again, yet are still timely editions, are purchased for wholesalers at a set market value. However, there are ways in which these two stores differ. For example, the CWB has an agree ment with foreign language teachers to not buy back language books which have had the translations written in them. The AUB has an agreement with an instructor to not buy back the book which he wrote, yet he may use this book each semester in his class. Two other areas which students are concerned about in the CWB are its lack of black products and its purse policy. Simmons explained that the brands of the products chosen are chosen for financial reasons. "We could go to the black companies and get them, but they only sell in large quantities and we can't afford to buy them (large quantites). We have to buy the cheapest.” Because of previous losses from shoplifters, book-bags, backpacks, and purses are sup posed to be left outside of the store in designated cubicles. However, Simmons has allowed purses to be left inside by her desk. Since students have ex pressed concern over having their purses stolen, Simmons has said that she will be responsible for any purse which she witnesses being left near her. (Continued, pg. 8) Inside... Along the Color Line pg. 3 The Deeline of the Democrats pg. 3 Remember Maleolm X pg. 4 Wellness: The Key to Living Healthy pg. 6 On the Career Front pg. 8 Artist Elizabeth Catlett Honored At Spelman by Lori Boyer Artist Elizabeth Catlett was honored by Spelman College Jan. 24 for glorifying the living learning tradition. Mrs. Cathlett was the convocation speaker and afterwards witnessed the dedica tion of a lounge in the Living- Learning Center in her name. Mrs. Catlett received a bachelor’s in art cum laude from Howard University and a master’s in art from the State University of Iowa. Her sculp tures and prints have won top prizes and awards since 1941 in the United States as well as Mexico, Cuba, Germany and Great Britain. "I stand before you as a very ordinary person," began Mrs. Catlett, “I am not of the excep tion, I am of the fortunate.” She went on to urge the audience not to feel superior or removed from their less fortunate brothers and sisters, but to get to know them. Only by knowing them can one find out the true basic necessities of life, she said. Lives would be more fulfilling if chosen professions and professionals were more con cerned with helping people, Mrs. Catlett said, than with making money. When money becomes the center of living, people lose the significance of life. “We are busier leading a plastic life than a meaningful one,” she said. Mrs. Catlett is a member of a public arts workshop in Mexico, where she has been a citizen since 1962. The artists of the group use their artwork to help the people of Mexico. Leaflets are made to help sell the crops and illustrations are used to help teach the illiterate. Similar efforts could be used to “tap and nurture the talents” of black children, she said. “We are the intellectuals who should make a better world,” Mrs. Catlett said. The black race has the potential to be the newsmakers, the authors, the music makes and the scientists this world needs, she said. “We are the teachers and the educators who should open up a world of knowledge for our black brothers and sisters and others. We must create through black experience as only we (Continued, pg. 10)