Georgia State University has taken a significant step toward addressing one of the most persistent barriers to student success: the high cost of textbooks. Over two semesters, students saved more than $560,000 in textbook costs through the Panther Book Access pilot, a university-wide effort to address textbook affordability.
Launched in fall 2025, Panther Book Access was designed for courses where no suitable low- or no-cost textbook option was available. Instead of purchasing books out of pocket, students receive immediate access through the learning platform iCollege at a reduced cost billed through their tuition. The program eliminates delays, reduces financial stress and allows instruction to begin on day one.
Two Semesters of Impact
During the fall 2025 pilot, Panther Book Access served more than 5,000 students across five high-enrollment courses spanning 299 sections, generating more than $186,000 in total student savings.
Building on that success, the program expanded in spring 2026 to include 13 courses across 322 sections, serving more than 12,000 students and saving students nearly $375,000 in a single semester. Evaluation data show that students saved an average of $30 per class, experienced less financial stress and felt more confident at the start of the semester.
“Georgia State University has one of the most diverse student populations in the country, and our students — regardless of their backgrounds — graduate at equal, high rates,” said Kim Manturuk, executive director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Online Education, which designed and implemented the pilot.
“We’re always working to eliminate barriers to student success, and reducing or eliminating the cost of course materials is one way to do that,” she said. “If every student has access to their books from the first day of the semester, they’re better prepared to study, learn and participate in class, and that helps set them up to complete their degree on time so they can enter the workforce with the career of their dreams.”
Across both the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters, more than 140 faculty participated in the Panther Book Access program, representing disciplines ranging from economics and political science to mathematics and communication.
John D. King is chair of the Mathematics and Computer Science and Engineering departments at Georgia State’s Perimeter College, where the entire Mathematics Department (approximately 80 faculty) participated in the Panther Book Access pilot program in their introductory math courses, Quantitative Reasoning, Statistics, College Algebra, PreCalculus, and Calculus I and II. He said Panther Book Access has helped students keep up with their homework and quizzes.
“If students don’t have the money to purchase the course materials during the two-week free trial period some publishers provide at the beginning of the semester, they can no longer access the course textbook and homework assignments and, consequently, get behind and can’t study,” King said. “With Panther Book Access, they don’t have any interruptions.”
The program has shown a meaningful impact on student outcomes. Compared to the four semesters prior to the pilot, Panther Book Access courses saw an 18.7% decline in DFW rates, meaning hundreds of students who might otherwise have earned a D, failed or withdrawn from a class instead earned course credit.
Why Textbook Affordability Matters
Textbook affordability is not just a financial issue — it is a student success issue. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, textbook prices have risen more than 160% since 2000, and a national survey published by the Public Interest Research Group Education Fund found that a majority of college students report skipping the purchase of required materials due to cost. Those costs can represent a meaningful share of a student’s annual family income.
Many students delay or forgo purchasing required materials due to price, which can negatively affect course performance. By guaranteeing access on day one, Panther Book Access ensures all students start the semester prepared and on equal footing.
Shelby Frost, a clinical professor of economics in Georgia State’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, said none of her roughly 320 Economics 1101 students across the past two semesters opted out of participating in the program, meaning each one had full access to all of the course’s materials on day one.
“There’s a lot to be said for a student opening the course in iCollege, and all of the materials are there and they’re paid for,” she said. “Anything we can do to save students money, without sacrificing course content quality, is a good thing.”
From Pilot to Scale
The Panther Book Access pilot identified a clear problem — textbook costs delaying access and instruction — and demonstrated a scalable solution. Georgia State is now using insights from the pilot to prepare for the next phase of Panther Book Access, scaling the program for broader adoption.
“We have evidence now that the Panther Book Access program is possible, and it works,” Manturuk said. “We know that when students are prepared, they’re more likely to succeed, and we’re committed to helping make sure our students have every opportunity to succeed.”
This is sponsored content.
