Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Investing In Textbook Affordability Pays Off For Students, Janelle Wertzberger

All Musselman Library Staff Works

Investing in textbook affordability can have a huge payoff for students—just ask Assistant Professors Alice Brawley Newlin and Marta Maras in the Management department. Their open, customized textbook for Statistical Methods (MGT 235) is completely free. It has been used by over 400 students and saved them an estimated $150,000! The story of how this remarkable outcome was achieved has its origins in Musselman Library. [excerpt]

2022 Gettysburg College Student Textbook And Course Materials Survey Executive Summary, Janelle Wertzberger, Mary R. Elmquist

All Musselman Library Staff Works

In Fall 2022, Musselman Library conducted its second course materials survey, this time in collaboration with 10 other liberal arts colleges from around the country. The results from this new survey illuminate how students are affected by textbook and course material costs, how they cope with these costs, and how effects and behaviors have changed since our 2019 survey.

This report summarizes the background of the project, key findings, and recommendations.

2022 Gettysburg College Textbook Survey Full Report, Mary R. Elmquist, Janelle Wertzberger

All Musselman Library Staff Works

In Fall 2022, Musselman Library conducted its second course materials survey, this time in collaboration with 10 other liberal arts colleges from around the country. This report compiles the results from Gettysburg College participants' responses. Comparisons are also made to the results from Gettysburg's 2019 survey and the larger group of colleges.

The Faculty Notebook, Spring 2023, Provost's Office

Faculty Notebook

The Faculty Notebook is published periodically by the Office of the Provost at Gettysburg College to bring to the attention of the campus community accomplishments and activities of academic interest. Faculty are encouraged to submit materials for consideration for publication to the Associate Provost for Faculty Development. Copies of this publication are available at the Office of the Provost.

The Faculty Notebook, September 2022, Provost's Office

Faculty Notebook

The Faculty Notebook is published periodically by the Office of the Provost at Gettysburg College to bring to the attention of the campus community accomplishments and activities of academic interest. Faculty are encouraged to submit materials for consideration for publication to the Associate Provost for Faculty Development. Copies of this publication are available at the Office of the Provost.

The Faculty Notebook, April 2022, Provost's Office

Faculty Notebook

The Faculty Notebook is published periodically by the Office of the Provost at Gettysburg College to bring to the attention of the campus community accomplishments and activities of academic interest. Faculty are encouraged to submit materials for consideration for publication to the Associate Provost for Faculty Development. Copies of this publication are available at the Office of the Provost.

The Faculty Notebook, September 2021, Provost's Office

Faculty Notebook

The Faculty Notebook is published periodically by the Office of the Provost at Gettysburg College to bring to the attention of the campus community accomplishments and activities of academic interest. Faculty are encouraged to submit materials for consideration for publication to the Associate Provost for Faculty Development. Copies of this publication are available at the Office of the Provost.

The Faculty Notebook, April 2021, Provost's Office

Faculty Notebook

The Faculty Notebook is published periodically by the Office of the Provost at Gettysburg College to bring to the attention of the campus community accomplishments and activities of academic interest. Faculty are encouraged to submit materials for consideration for publication to the Associate Provost for Faculty Development. Copies of this publication are available at the Office of the Provost.

The Faculty Notebook, April 2020, Provost's Office

Faculty Notebook

The Faculty Notebook is published periodically by the Office of the Provost at Gettysburg College to bring to the attention of the campus community accomplishments and activities of academic interest. Faculty are encouraged to submit materials for consideration for publication to the Associate Provost for Faculty Development. Copies of this publication are available at the Office of the Provost.

2019 Gettysburg College Student Textbook And Course Materials Survey Executive Summary, Janelle Wertzberger, Sarah Appedu, Mary R. Elmquist

All Musselman Library Staff Works

We’ve all heard stories of students struggling with textbook costs, but how do our students cope when the price gets too high? Modeled after the Student Textbook and Course Materials Survey conducted by Florida Virtual Campus, Musselman Library’s course materials survey sought to uncover how textbook costs impact the success of Gettysburg College students. Results give insight into participants’ perceptions of how much money they spend, the strategies they use to reduce costs, and the effects of the cost of course materials on their academic success.

The Executive Summary details our research questions, key findings, and main takeaways.

"I Spent My Whole Summer's Wages... On Books Alone": Gettysburg College Student Textbook And Course Materials Survey, Janelle Wertzberger, Sarah Appedu, Mary R. Elmquist

All Musselman Library Staff Works

We’ve all heard stories of students struggling with textbook costs, but how do our students cope when the price gets too high? Modeled after the Student Textbook and Course Materials Survey conducted by Florida Virtual Campus, Musselman Library’s course materials survey sought to uncover how textbook costs impact the success of Gettysburg College students. Results give insight into participants’ perceptions of how much money they spend, the strategies they use to reduce costs, and the effects of the cost of course materials on their academic success. Attendees will leave the presentation with a greater understanding of the whole Gettysburg College …

The Power Of A Voice, Anonymous

SURGE

**Trigger warning: sexual assault

I was a freshman in college and I became a ‘juvenile victim’. I became an article online and the talk of a bored group of people thinking of how crazy life is. I became comments on Facebook and I became comments in a courtroom. In all that I became, I was nameless, faceless, voiceless. That was what got to me most. I was voiceless in the process as much as I was when he stood over me, and all I could ask was, when did my voice stop mattering? [excerpt]

You Know One Of Us, Emma Love

SURGE

**Trigger warning: sexual assault

I am afraid of my bed.

I am also afraid of heather blue shirts. Men’s voices make me jump. I am constantly scanning crowds, always looking for the closest exit. I sit with my back to the wall. I no longer eat at Servo for lunch or dinner, or walk down a specific pathway as a shortcut home. Instead, I take the long way through the middle of campus to get back to my room. If I see someone with the same haircut or wearing similar clothes, I start to tremble. Unexpected touches from male friends, …

Are We Done Waiting?, Katie F. Mercer

SURGE

**Trigger warning: sexual assault

In the past month students in surrounding colleges have been protesting and challenging administrative policies regarding sexual assault, yet many of us at Gettysburg are unaware of these events. Members of our shared community have stood up to injustice they have faced on campus. On January 30, 2020 an article was published in The Dickinsonan newspaper titled “I’m Done Waiting for Dickinson to Take Sexual Assault Seriously,” in which senior Rose McAvoy recounts not only the horrifying tale of her violent sexual assault, but also the college’s incompetency and failure to take appropriate action. [excerpt …

Musselman Library Strategic Plan: 2020-2023, Musselman Library

All Musselman Library Staff Works

Musselman Library’s strategic plan is designed to guide the library’s efforts for the next three years, 2020-2023. The library’s plan reflects Gettysburg College’s current strategic plan for 2016-2021 and grounds itself in our ongoing mission to support a liberal arts education at Gettysburg with the library as the intellectual center of campus.

The plan includes four strategic directions: support student success, design inspiring and accessible spaces, reimagine library collections, and cultivate an inclusive and responsive library climate.

You Only Remember Your Tragedies, Anonymous

SURGE

I am tired. I am tired of going to class and listening to my professor’s ignore my history. I am tired of going to office hours and them telling me that I am too biased to conduct research on the genocide of the country my family is from. I am tired of the way people give me these looks of pity whenever I tell them what happened to my family. I am tired of not being able to talk to anyone about this because I just feel like I’m spewing absolute nonsense because it feels like no one believes me. …

Dear Society, Anonymous

SURGE

“I can not wait to study abroad” multiple friends tell me

All I do is shake my head and reply “mhm I can not wait either”

I lied to them

I can not go out of the country, I can not explore the world

I am stuck in one place

This place is known as the United States of America that one day they said will bring the American Dream for my family

I wake up each day and I live in a world of fear, mistrust, and silence..." [excerpt]

Nathifa Greene, Assistant Professor Of Philosophy, Musselman Library, Nathifa Greene

Next Page

In this latest Next Page column, Assistant Professor of Philosophy Nathifa Greene ’03 shares her longtime love of Toni Morrison, Zadie Smith, and George Eliot, as well as a newfound appreciation for speculative fiction.

Living...In Fear, Anonymous

SURGE

“What do you fear?”

“What is your weakness?”

Every time I get asked these questions, whether it’s by interviewers or friends, I dread every moment of it.

How can I possibly put into words the fear I live with every single day of my life?

How can I put into words the pain I feel inside of me to help you understand?

My parents have raised me to be the strong independent woman that I am.

They have taught me to discipline myself and always work 10x harder than everyone else.

They have warned me from a very early age …

I Am, Anonymous

SURGE

Hearing undocumented I want it to be for means of empowerment,
I am tired of the pity look, of the silence, of hesitation, of the thick air and the tension
Whenever I let people in.
When I let people in, I expect respect as a human being,
And not as a saving cause.
The last thing I ask is for reassurance or comfort
I had been undocumented for the last eleven years
Eleven years that I have internalized a distorted false narrative of who I am [excerpt]

Open For Whom? Equity In Open Knowledge, Scholarly Communications, Michelle Williams

All Musselman Library Staff Works

This display was created as part of Musselman Library's Open Access Week 2019 programming and highlights challenges and opportunities within the global open access movement.

A Journey Through The Development Of A Dh Program For Undergraduates, R.C. Miessler, Clinton K. Baugess, John Dettinger, Kevin Moore

All Musselman Library Staff Works

In institutions that do not actively integrate DH into the curriculum, introducing undergraduates to DH tools and methods can be difficult. However, Gettysburg College has facilitated a summer research experience for undergraduates. This interactive workshop will introduce participants to the Digital Scholarship Summer Fellowship program and provide a high-level overview of its development and implementation. Workshop leaders will provide guidance on developing a summer program tailored to participants' institution's needs and aspirations. Participants will come away with strategies for identifying stakeholders and partners, developing program goals, selecting digital tools, designing workshops, and methods to incorporate aspects of assessment and sustainability.

The Harold G. Evans Chair Of Eisenhower Leadership Studies And The Eisenhower Institute Undergraduate Fellowship, Brendan Cushing-Daniels

Friday Forum

The Evans Chair is an important link between the academic program and the Eisenhower Institute (EI), and one of the most important roles of the Evans chair is directing the EI Undergraduate Fellows (EIUF) program. This program provides a small group of Gettysburg College seniors the chance to develop their leadership skills and to immerse themselves in the world of public policy. Today’s talk is designed to get faculty members from across the divisions to consider applying for the Evans Chair and to ask all members of the College community to encourage all students, particularly those who have felt excluded, …

Campus-Based Agriculture: The Future Of Food At Gettysburg College, Bryn K. Werley

Student Publications

This research investigates various methods for producing food on the campus of Gettysburg College in order to improve food sustainability. The transportation of food contributes to the increased use of fossil fuels, which in turn leads to global warming and climate change. By producing a larger portion of its food on-campus, Gettysburg College could reduce the amount of food transported to the school, thereby lessening the College’s environmental impact. Urban farming techniques, hydroponics, aquaponics, and greenhouse-based agriculture are explored as viable methods for achieving this goal. Examples of the use of these techniques on college campuses are drawn from Allegheny …

Undergraduate Digital Scholarship At Gettysburg College, R.C. Miessler, Kevin Moore, Emma K. Lewis

All Musselman Library Staff Works

Musselman Library’s Digital Scholarship Committee supports high-impact student projects that use digital tools and methods to interpret, analyze, and present humanistic research. In addition to facilitating an eight-week summer research fellowship, the Committee partners with faculty members to design and oversee digital projects introduced as course assignments. This poster provides an overview of the Committee’s activities from fall 2015 through spring 2019.

Earth: "Un-Human Me", Hakim Mohandas Amani Williams

Peace and Justice Studies Faculty Publications

He took a rib from your side and made others.

So you considered Others your children, forever.

He told you to go forth and produce and multiply so you made capitalism.

He told you to go forth and conquer and pillage and mark your name and plant your flag where-ever you wanted.

So now the moon is yours. Jupiter, beware! [excerpt]

Overworked. Underpaid., Lexus P. Davis

SURGE

I am two people right now.

Split between a constant feeling of having a deep pit in your stomach from fear of not having finished something. Until that pit is anxiousness and for a second you have to take a few deep breaths because you know yourself.

“Shit, I forgot to eat.”

And the anxious feeling is gone because you forgot something as little as eating.

My eyes are on fire. I rub them and take another sip of coffee. I heard my friends talking about how they took Adderall to finish their papers. I was desperate and so I …

Cheating The Textbook System, Hana Huskic

SURGE

The price of my German textbook is equal to three months of rent with utilities back home. My books for Introduction to Cultural Anthropology equal the cost of feeding my family for a whole month. But these aren’t news. American Enterprise Institute reports that the college textbook prices “are 812 percent higher than they were a little more than three decades ago.”

Some students came to Gettysburg aware of costs, so they moved into first year dorms armed with Amazon Prime memberships and accounts on sites for renting textbooks. Some looked for classes that offer cheaper (or no) textbooks in …

The First Year Frat Experience, Anonymous

SURGE

It was September 14th and my three weeks were up. I had told myself I had three weeks to make friends. Three weeks before Greek life would dominate the social scene. Publicly, I decried the three week rule, writing it off as dumb or lame. Privately, a part of me wished it could last forever. That night, while my floor pregamed in their rooms, I stayed in mine. I spent a long night alone, listening to the music blasting from dorm rooms and down the streets. I decided to shut the lights off because I didn’t want the world to …

Ashley Luskey, Assistant Director Of The Civil War Institute, Musselman Library, Ashley Whitehead Luskey

Next Page

In this first Next Page column of the new academic year, Ashley Luskey, Assistant Director of the Civil War Institute, shares which weathered volume she reads each October, her favorite book from her 9th grade English class, and explains her long-time fascination with Varina Davis, wife of Confederate president Jefferson Davis.