Another Purdue move on student affordability – Amazon relationship – attracts coverage

August 14, 2014

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University’s efforts aimed at student affordability continue to attract national attention as President Mitch Daniels announced another trend-setting move on Wednesday (Aug. 13).

Daniels went live on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” Wednesday morning to discuss the many measures Purdue has taken to address student affordability, including the latest - the launch of the Purdue Student Store on Amazon, a new, co-branded experience where students can purchase lower-cost textbooks and other college essentials. CNBC was among numerous national media outlets to carry reports on the relationship.

NBC News, of which CNBC is a part, also carried the story, as did USA Today, Yahoo! News and Yahoo! Finance, among others.

“People will say, 'Nothing has risen faster than the cost of health care except college tuition.' But the one thing that has risen faster than college tuition is college textbooks: three times inflation over the last decade," Daniels said on “Squawk Box.” “The average student here at Purdue and other places is spending $1,200 or more a year on that now. It's the third-highest cost of college."

Daniels said that projections are that the new co-branded Purdue Student Store on Amazon could help students save up to 30 percent, or $6 million a year, on textbooks.

Student affordability is a key segment among the 10 initiatives outlined in Daniels’ Purdue Moves initiative. The university has addressed tuition with a three-year freeze and has reduced room-and-board costs by 5 percent two years in a row.

The university will continue efforts to improve administrative efficiency while increasing scholarship offerings for students across a broad range of academic pursuits and financial needs with the overall goal of enhancing the value of a Purdue degree.

The media coverage on the relationship with Amazon includes:

CNBC “Squawk Box”

Purdue’s Daniels sees pushback on college costs

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101917134

USA Today

Purdue, Amazon team up to save students textbook cash

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/13/purdue-amazon-cut-textbook-costs/14001707/

Indianapolis Star

Purdue, Amazon collaborate to cut textbook costs

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/education/2014/08/13/purdue-amazon-partner-cut-textbook-costs/13991855/

Yahoo! News and Yahoo! Finance

Amazon Campus: Cutting the cost of college textbooks