Chapter 6. Academic Materials of California Education Code >> Division 5. >> Title 3. >> Part 40. >> Chapter 6.
No person shall prepare, offer to prepare, cause to be
prepared, sell, or otherwise distribute any term paper, thesis,
dissertation, or other written material for another person, for a fee
or other compensation, with the knowledge, or under circumstances in
which he should reasonably have known, that such term paper, thesis,
dissertation, or other written material is to be submitted by any
other person for academic credit at any public or private college,
university, or other institution of higher learning in this state.
No person shall make or disseminate, with the intent to
induce any other person to enter into any obligation relating
thereto, any statement, written or oral, that he will prepare, cause
to be prepared, sell, or otherwise distribute any term paper, thesis,
dissertation, or other written material, for a fee or other
compensation, for or on behalf of any person who has been assigned
the written preparation of such term paper, thesis, dissertation, or
other written material for academic credit at any public or private
college, university, or other institution of higher learning in this
state.
Any court of competent jurisdiction is hereby authorized to
grant such relief as is necessary to enforce the provisions of this
chapter, including the issuance of an injunction.
Actions for injunction under the provisions of this chapter
may be brought in the name of the people of the State of California
upon their own complaint or upon the complaint of any person, or in
the name of any public or private college, university, or other
institution of higher learning, acting for the interest of itself,
its students, or the general public.
The provisions of this chapter are not exclusive. Nothing in
this chapter shall be construed to preempt or in any other way
limit, diminish, or imply the absence of rights of any party, public
or private, against any person in connection with any of the acts
described in Section 66400 or Section 66401.
As used in this chapter, "person" means any individual,
partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or association.
As used in this chapter, "prepare" means to put into condition for
intended use. "Prepare" does not include the mere typing or
assembling of papers, nor the mere furnishing of information or
research.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares that the production
and pricing of college textbooks deserves a high level of attention
from educators and lawmakers because they impact the quality and
affordability of higher education.
(b) The State of California urges textbook publishers to do all of
the following:
(1) "Unbundle" the instructional materials to give students the
option of buying textbooks, CD-ROMs, and workbooks "à la carte" or
without additional materials.
(2) Provide all of the following information to faculty and
departments when they are considering what textbooks to order, and
post both of the following types of information on publishers'
Internet Web sites where it is easily accessible:
(A) A list of all of the different products they sell, including
both bundled and unbundled options, and the net price of each
product.
(B) An explanation of how the newest edition is different from
previous editions.
(3) Give preference to paper or online supplements to current
editions rather than producing entirely new editions.
(4) Disclose to faculty the length of time they intend to produce
the current edition so that professors know how long they can use the
same book.
(5) Provide to faculty a free copy of each textbook selected by
faculty for use in the classroom for placement on reserve in the
campus library.
(c) The Trustees of the California State University and the Board
of Governors of the California Community Colleges shall, and the
Regents of the University of California are requested to, accomplish
all of the following:
(1) Work with the academic senates of each respective segment to
do all of the following:
(A) Encourage faculty to give consideration to the least costly
practices in assigning textbooks, varying by discipline, such as
adopting the least expensive edition when the educational content is
equal, and using a selected textbook as long as it is educationally
sound, as determined by the appropriate faculty.
(B) Encourage faculty to disclose both of the following to
students:
(i) How new editions of textbooks are different from the previous
editions.
(ii) The cost to students for textbooks selected for use in each
course.
(C) Review procedures for faculty to inform college and university
bookstores of textbook selections.
(D) Encourage faculty to work closely with publishers and college
and university bookstores in creating bundles and packages if they
are economically sound and deliver cost savings to students, and if
bundles and packages have been requested by faculty. Students should
have the option of purchasing textbooks and other instructional
materials that are "unbundled."
(2) Require college and university bookstores to work with the
academic senates of each respective campus to do both of the
following:
(A) Review issues relative to timelines and processes involved in
ordering and stocking selected textbooks.
(B) Work closely with faculty or publishers, or both, to create
bundles and packages that are economically sound and deliver cost
savings to students.
(3) Encourage college and university bookstores to disclose retail
textbook costs, on a per course basis, to faculty, and make this
information otherwise publicly available.
(4) Encourage campuses to provide as many forums for students to
have access to as many used books as possible, including, but not
necessarily limited to, all of the following:
(A) Implementing campus-sponsored textbook rental programs.
(B) Encouraging students to consider on-campus and online book
swaps so that students may buy and sell used books and set their own
prices.
(C) Encouraging students to consider student book lending
programs.
(D) Encouraging college and university bookstores that offer book
buyback programs to actively promote and publicize these programs.
(E) Encouraging the establishment of textbook rental programs and
any other appropriate approaches to providing high-quality materials
that are affordable to students.
(d) It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage private
colleges and universities to work with their respective academic
senates and to encourage faculty to consider practices in selecting
textbooks that will result in the lowest costs to students.
The Trustees of the California State University shall, and
the Regents of the University of California are requested to, review
each respective segment's student transfer policies, and to revise
those policies, to ensure that faculty may choose a textbook selected
for a transfer or general education course, regardless of
publication date, for as long as the textbook is available to
students and the information contained in the textbook is current and
reflects contemporary thinking in the discipline.
(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the
College Textbook Transparency Act.
(b) As used in this section, the following terms have the
following meanings:
(1) "Adopter" means any faculty member or academic department or
other adopting entity at an institution of higher education
responsible for considering and choosing course materials to be used
in connection with the accredited courses taught at that institution.
(2) "Complimentary copies" or "review course materials" only
includes books that in all appearances are the same as the regular
student edition of the textbook, and contain no material other than
that found in the regular student edition of the textbook.
(3) "Instructor copies" or "complimentary teacher editions" means
books with information that is meant to be for the exclusive use of
teachers and not for students. These books contain answers and
solutions, test questions, and pedagogical techniques, and are often
labeled instructor's edition or instructor's manuals.
(4) "New edition of textbook" means a subsequent version of an
earlier standard textbook. A standard textbook is the primary, full,
and unabridged edition of a textbook. An abridged, alternate format,
or alternate version of a standard textbook shall not be considered a
new edition.
(5) "Publisher" means any publishing house, publishing firm, or
publishing company that publishes textbooks or other course
materials, specifically designed for postsecondary instruction.
(6) "Textbook" means a book that contains printed material and is
intended for use as a source of study material for a class or group
of students, a copy of which is expected to be available for the use
of each of the students in that class or group. "Textbook" does not
include a novel.
(7) "Unsolicited complimentary copies" means all items described
in paragraph (2) and that were not requested by faculty but are sent
by the publisher unsolicited by a faculty or staff member.
(c) (1) Adopters are encouraged to consider cost in the adoption
of textbooks.
(2) Publishers shall facilitate the work done by adopters by
providing transparency in the adoption process and shall be
responsive in a timely manner to requests for information on textbook
cost and content, and the full range of options.
(d) (1) On or after January 1, 2010, the publisher of a textbook
shall print on the outer cover of, or within, the standard textbook,
both of the following items:
(A) For any new editions of textbooks initially published on or
after January 1, 2010, a summary of the substantive content
differences between the new edition and the prior edition.
(B) The copyright date of the previous edition of the textbook.
(2) For instructor copies or complimentary teacher editions, it
shall be noted on the exterior of the book that the book is an
instructor's copy and is not for resale.
(e) (1) A publisher, or agent or employee of a publisher, of
textbooks intended for use at a postsecondary educational institution
shall respond to a request from an adopter for any of the following:
(A) A list of the products offered for sale by that publisher that
are relevant to the needs and interests of adopters.
(B) The price at which the new book is available from the
publisher.
(C) The copyright date of any prior edition of a textbook, if
available.
(D) A list of the substantial content differences or changes made
between the current edition initially published on or after January
1, 2010, and the previous edition of the textbook, including, but not
necessarily limited to, new chapters, additional eras of time, new
themes, or new subject matter.
(2) The information described in this subdivision shall be
available in print or electronically to the adopter.
(f) Each campus bookstore at any public postsecondary educational
institution shall post in its store or on its Internet Web site a
disclosure of its retail pricing policy on new and used textbooks.
(g) Each public postsecondary educational institution shall
encourage adopters with course material selection responsibilities to
place their orders with sufficient lead time, whenever possible, to
enable the university-managed bookstore or contract-managed bookstore
to confirm the availability of the requested materials.
(h) This section does not limit the authority of faculty over
decisions relating to the selection of textbooks.
(i) An adopter at an institution of higher education shall not
demand or receive anything of value, including the donation of
equipment or goods, any payment, loan, advance, or deposit of money,
present or promised, for adopting specific course materials required
for coursework or instruction, except that an employee may receive
any of the following:
(1) Complimentary copies, review course materials, or instructor
copies. The adopters shall not sell instructor copies.
(2) Royalties or other compensation from sales of course materials
that include the instructor's writing or other work. Receipt of
these royalties or compensation is subject to the employer's standing
policies or collective bargaining agreements relating to employee
conflicts of interest.
(3) Honoraria for academic peer review of course materials.
Receipt of honoraria is subject to the employer's standing policies
relating to employee conflicts of interest.
(4) Training in the use of course materials and course
technologies. Payment for travel and lodging and or meals shall be
subject to the employer's standing polices relating to employee
conflicts of interest and compensation.
(j) A publisher or campus bookstore shall not solicit faculty for
the purpose of the sale of instructor copies or complimentary
teachers editions of textbooks that have been provided by a publisher
at no charge to a faculty member or other employee. This subdivision
does not apply to unsolicited complimentary copies.
(k) A campus bookstore shall not engage in any trade of any course
material marked, or otherwise identified, as instructor copies or
complementary teachers editions of textbooks.
(l) Any self-published textbook by an instructor for use with that
instructor's class shall be exempt from this section, if the
instructor discloses the publishing and use of those materials to his
or her employer institution.
(a) (1) The publisher of a textbook, or an agent or employee
of the publisher, shall provide a prospective purchaser of the
textbook with all of the following:
(A) A list of all the products offered for sale by the publisher
germane to the prospective purchaser's subject area of interest.
(B) For a product listed pursuant to subparagraph (A), the
wholesale or retail price of the product, and the estimated length of
time the publisher intends to keep the product on the market.
(C) For each new edition of a product listed pursuant to
subparagraph (A), a list of the substantial content differences or
changes between the new edition and the previous edition of the
textbook.
(2) The publisher shall make the lists required by paragraph (1)
available to a prospective purchaser at the commencement of a sales
interaction, including, but not necessarily limited to, a sales
interaction conducted in person, by telephone, or electronically. The
publisher shall also post in a prominent position on its Internet
Web site the lists required by paragraph (1).
(b) As used in this section, the following terms have the
following meanings:
(1) "Product" means each version, including, but not necessarily
limited to, a version in a digital format, of a textbook, or set of
textbooks, in a particular subject area, including, but not
necessarily limited to, a supplemental item, whether or not the
supplemental item is sold separately or together with a textbook.
(2) "Publisher" has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (b)
of Section 66406.7.
(3) "Purchaser" means a faculty member of a public or private
postsecondary educational institution who selects the textbooks
assigned to students.
(4) "Textbook" has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (b)
of Section 66406.7.
(a) The California Digital Open Source Library is hereby
established, and shall be administered by the California State
University, in coordination with the California Community Colleges,
for the purpose of housing open source materials while providing an
Internet Web-based way for students, faculty, and staff to easily
find, adopt, utilize, or modify course materials for little or no
cost. The California State University shall also act in coordination
with the University of California in administering the California
Digital Open Source Library if the regents act, by appropriate
resolution, to authorize the university to participate in the
administration of the library.
(b) All material in the California Digital Open Source Library
shall bear a creative commons attribution license that allows others
to use, distribute, and create derivative works based upon the
digital material while still allowing the authors or creators of the
material to receive credit for their efforts.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the public
postsecondary educational segments assist and support faculty in
choosing lower cost, more flexible, and dynamic alternatives such as
open source textbooks and related teaching tools. Nothing in this
section shall be construed to mandate faculty use of any particular
textbook or related materials.
(a) The California Open Education Resources Council is
hereby established. The council shall be composed of faculty leaders
from the three segments of public postsecondary education, and shall
be administered by the Intersegmental Committee of the Academic
Senates of the University of California, the California State
University, and the California Community Colleges, or a successor
group.
(b) The council shall have nine members: three members shall be
faculty of the University of California, selected by the Academic
Senate, University of California; three members shall be faculty of
the California State University, selected by the Academic Senate of
the California State University; and three members shall be community
college faculty, selected by the Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges. Appointments to the council shall be made no
later than 90 days after the act that adds this section becomes
operative.
(c) The council shall be responsible for accomplishing all of the
following:
(1) (A) Development of a list of 50 strategically selected lower
division courses in the public postsecondary segments for which
high-quality, affordable, digital open source textbooks and related
materials shall be developed or acquired pursuant to this section.
(B) In developing the course list pursuant to this paragraph, the
council shall consider the extent to which the selected courses:
(i) Are among the most highly enrolled courses at each of the
three segments.
(ii) Are likely to generate significant saving in textbook costs
for students.
(iii) Demonstrate relative consistency in content across existing
textbook products.
(iv) Provide opportunities for faculty to augment the open
textbook with free faculty-authored materials or other free open
education materials from existing digital libraries and collections.
(v) Are conducive to discipline-based pedagogies that can be
enhanced with digital resources and interactivity to support improved
student learning success.
(2) Creation and administration of a standardized, rigorous review
and approval process for open source textbooks and related materials
developed or acquired pursuant to this section. This process shall
ensure that all open source textbooks and related materials developed
or acquired pursuant to this section have been tested and validated
as having met accessibility requirements for students with
disabilities before approval and release. The textbooks and other
materials shall include documentation for students with disabilities
that describes available accessibility features.
(3) Promotion of strategies for production, access, and use of
open source materials.
(4) Regularly soliciting and considering, from each of the
respective statewide student associations of the University of
California, the California State University, and the California
Community Colleges, advice and guidance on open source education
textbooks and related materials. It is the intent of the Legislature
in enacting this paragraph that the council actively solicit and
consider student perspectives related to open source education
textbooks and related materials on matters such as format,
accessibility, and usability.
(d) The council shall establish a competitive request for proposal
process in which faculty members, publishers, and other interested
parties may apply for funds to produce the 50 high-quality,
affordable, digital open source textbooks and related materials in
2013. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to limit or
restrict the council from developing or acquiring, either for a
charge or for free, existing high-quality digital open source
textbooks and related materials that otherwise meet the
specifications of this section.
(e) The council shall submit a report to the Legislature and the
Governor on the progress of the implementation of this section no
later than six months after the act that adds this section becomes
operative, and submit a final report by January 1, 2016.
(f) The textbooks and other materials produced pursuant to this
section shall comply with all of the following requirements:
(1) The textbooks and other materials are placed under a creative
commons attribution license that allows others to use, distribute,
and create derivative works based upon the digital material while
still allowing the authors or creators to receive credit for their
efforts.
(2) The textbooks and other materials are modular in order to
allow easy customization, and are encoded in an Extensible Markup
Language (XML) format, or other appropriate successor format, and are
designed and delivered to achieve interoperability enabling the
materials to be made available reliably and successfully on the
widest possible range of platforms, such as the Internet, tablets,
smartphones, print, or other platforms.
(3) The textbooks and other materials conform to the most current,
ratified standards under Section 508 of the federal Rehabilitation
Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794d), as amended, and the Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines adopted by the World Wide Web Consortium for
accessibility. The textbooks and other materials shall be furnished
to colleges and universities for distribution to students with print
disabilities in accordance with the requirements of Section 67302 or
67302.5, as applicable.
(4) The textbooks and other materials are submitted to, and housed
within, the California Open Source Digital Library, when and if that
library is established pursuant to statute.
(a) No later than January 1, 2020, any individual, firm,
partnership, or corporation that publishes textbooks offered for sale
at the University of California, the California State University,
the California Community Colleges, or a private postsecondary
educational institution in the state shall, to the extent
practicable, make the textbooks available, in whole or in part, for
sale in an electronic format. The electronic version of any textbook
shall contain the same content as the printed version and may be
copy-protected.
(b) For purposes of this section, "textbook" has the same meaning
as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66406.7.
(c) This section does not authorize any use of instructional
materials that would constitute an infringement of copyright under
the Copyright Revision Act of 1976, as amended (17 U.S.C. Sec. 101 et
seq.).