The US Department of Education has terminated a rulemaking process that would have converted “inclusive access” programs, in which colleges charge students for digital course materials at the beginning of the semester as part of their tuition and other fees, from opt-out to opt-in. That change, if executed, would have significantly reduced participation, and therefore sales. Inclusive access purports to give students the best price for the bundled courseware, along with some kind of ability to opt out of the package. In a report published December 26, the DOE wrote, “We are persuaded by concerns raised…about the need to gather […]
