DiNapoli Wastes Money on College Books

A December 19th report by Newsday states that state comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released a report on how State Universities (such as SUNY Stony Brook, which was studied in his report) can save money on college books.

“After comparing prices at six campus bookstores with those bought online for several freshmen- and junior-dominated classes, the comptroller’s office concluded students could save as much as 40 percent if students buy books online.”

Well comparative shopping makes sense… but wait there’s more.

“However, the review found limited opportunity for students to seek alternative lower cost options due to lack of advanced posting of course listings and the lack of clear, accurate book identification information.”

I have two qualms with this report.

1) Why is the State Comptrollers office wasting tax money on producing a report that lists common sense solutions such as “comparative shopping”? I mean, don’t misunderstand me, I think saving money is a great thing however if you are a college student and are still not intelligent enough to comparative shop if you are looking to save money than something is wrong with that picture.  As for the colleges not posting assigned books needed in order for students to comparatively shop more effectively, I think that is a good idea but yet again not such a novel notion that a comprehensive report needs to be filed.

2) What this report does not take into account is that most college book stores are non for profit.  Any money that each bookstore takes in gets fed back into the college. So while colleges will be saving money, (by not buying as many books, since presumably, students will not be buying as many books from them) they are only hurting themselves in the long run by allowing less money to flow into the college.

To see the full report click here

DiNapoli’s Fixing the Problem He Helped Create

Newsday reports that New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has unveiled specific regulations to bar attorney’s be held as employees for school districts. This report comes after other reports from Newday detailing attorneys exploiting the public school system to receive state pensions. The article also mentions that DiNapoli was on the Mineola School Board that put one of the attorneys in question on district payroll.

In response to this DiNapoli‘s spokesman Dennis Tompkins said:

It was a school board vote taken 32 years ago, based on information the members had before them. You can’t cast a blanket over every school attorney — that every one is guilty of fraud or trying to game the system. Each one has to be looked at on a case-by-case basis. At the time he took the vote, he thought it was proper.

The article does not mention what these new regulations are but continues to comment on DiNapoli‘s actions as a school board member.

Honestly I do not believe that there is evidence to warrant DiNapoli’s actions as some type of conspiracy. While I do find this to be particularly interesting I as more concerned over what the new regulations will be. However I am not about to commend DiNapoli for his actions either since he is only acting on this problem now because it has been finally brought to the forefront of the political discussion due to media outlets such as Newsday. While I don’t hold him responsible for his past actions I do hold him responsible for his past inactions in dealing with this issue (that he once helped create) as comptroller.