Making It

With gas prices at there highest point since 2008, students are finding ways to cut costs.

One of the most common costs to cut is on eating out. Many students find that "brown bagging it" is a much healthier and cheaper alternative to bringing lunch.

Senior economics major, Chad Brewer says "I have to get up a little earlier, but its cheaper to bring my own food, and I don't have to deal with lines and crowds. " When asked about the health aspect, he said "I used eat out a lot freshman year, and i definitely gained some pounds, since I started bringing lunch I think I have lost some weight."

Not all students have the same opinion on this issue though, Elijah McHenry Marketing Major says, "walking around with a sack lunch is not going to happen." He is willing to spend some extra cash for convenience reasons.

Regardless of its convenience, many students are still willing to do so to offset some of the current gas prices.

Some other ideas on college budgeting can be found Here.

To sell or not to sell

That is the question!

With buyback coming back around due to the end of the semester, many of you may be contemplating the value of that book you paid $100 for. Should you sell it back for some spare cash, or keep it for future reference?

Well, Rosa Hernandez told the Grunion Gazette they typically give about 55% of the original value back for the book. This would mean $55 for that $100 book, not bad, except there may be a few alternatives that most do not consider.

Half.com, Bucks4books.com, and Amazon.com are all options that, if you do not mind the extra work, may give you a bit more than 55%.

Dasche Foley, business senior, says, "I have tried many of the ways, from craigslist to amazon, but the one on campus is so much easier and less of a hassle"

If all of these sound unappealing, other options to consider for next year are ebooks, which are cheaper from the get go, or Chegg.com book rental service. These will be cheaper from the start, and you won't have to deal with the issue at the end of the year.

The Auxiliary organizations

     The Auxiliaries consist of three big businesses running different parts of our university as not for profit organization.These organizations control most aspects of the university that are not directly connected to education.

The three branches are:
Associated Students, Inc.

• This is the student government side of the school.
• They also are in charge of the USU, and the resturaunts and shops within the USU, including the game rooms and bowling.

Forty-Niner Shops, Inc.

• They handle all of the commercial side of the university, including the bookstore the convenience stores, and some on campus restaurants.
• As a non-profit, the shops reinvest the profits into the school, through scholarships and capital investments.

CSULB Foundation

• They handle things that further the education, like research funding and grants for research.

      The auxiliaries were founded in 1956, and were created to relieve the schools of the duties that indirectly affected the education system at CSULB. By splitting these three aspects and having separate entities controlling them, it allows for a stronger focus to be put on each auxiliary branch.

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What's for Dinner

With new trends and fads in food, 49er shops and dining services turns to students to help keep up.

With such a diverse student population, a diverse selection of food is needed to suffice the masses. Many students are employed by the Forty-Niner shops and are able to voice their opinion directly, but for those who are not campus employees have some other ways to voice their thoughts.

Jenny Lew, is a registered dietitian who manages the residential dining operations. Rosa Hernandez explained many of the ways Lew involves students in the food selection. One being a "Diners Club meeting where students can make recommendations for menu options, vote on types of foods being offered, and even sample new recipes before they are introduced to the residents."

Forty-Niner Shops is also partners with the National Association of College and University Food Services, whom is able to provide national food trends, typically including the healthier options now being made available.

The Diners Club meets third week of the month on the following days. 3rd Wednesday at RLC DH 5:30pm. 3rd Thursday at Parkside DH @ 5:30pm and Residence DH @ 6:30pm.

Going Digital Part 2

After I wrote last weeks article on the digital movement in the book world, I went and talked to 49er Shops to see what their thoughts were.

I was able to speak with Rosa Hernandez-Henderson, 49er Shops Communications Director regarding plans and students buying habits.

What I learned was that 49ershops is definitely prepared for the shift, but according to Rosa, the students are the ones whom are not yet ready. 

With the digital textbooks partner, Jumpbooks.com being an option for students for two years now, it has grown, but not as much as expected. Rosa thinks students still like to be able to turn the page, and to write and highlight write on the book. 

49er Shops has a 10 people staffed whom focus solely on ways to improve the Bookstore in order to give the students better and more options to purchase books. 

Being a not for profit organization, 49er Shops is more interested in saving money for students rather than making money off of them. The digital books are half the cost for the average book and would be able to make textbooks much more affordable for students. 

Proof of the students want for paperbacks was evident with the introduction of Chegg.com in the bookstore. Although Jumbooks.com continued to grow, Chegg.com definitely slowed it down and peaked students interest with its affordability, and ease of rental. 

YoGo! Creations, will it be Reopened or Replaced?

Mitch Atkinson,  3-10-11

Since closing it's doors in January 2011, we are waiting to see if YoGo! Creations will return, or if another shop will be taking it's place.

YoGo! Creations opened in September of 2009, and did fairly well on campus. On average 2-3 students would be in there at a time during the school day.


However, some students like Jared Manzin still preferred going to other yogurt shops. He told us that, "Yogurtland, is cheaper and has more options."


Their phone line has been disconnected, and I have received no email response when trying to contact Manager Joe Fabozzi.

On the Official YoGo! Creations Facebook page, their last communication was on January 30th and said: 


"To all our fans and friends... we are working through some challenges this semester...There is no place we'd rather be than back in full operation and serving you... we'll keep informed on our progress."

Lets just hope if it is replaced, it is another healthy dessert option.

Going Digital

Source: (http://www.ereaderestore.com/)

The 49er Bookstore may have to adopt new strategies to appeal to the evolving technologies being found on campus.

In a recent faculty meeting (MunchNLearn), new resources were discussed which are now offered at the bookstore. Things like digital textbooks, online textbook rentals, and online textbook ordering options were talked about.

DeAnn Hazey, executive director of the National Association of College Stores Foundation, told The Chronicle of Higher Education, "Book sales are declining-they're down tremendously this year,the college stores have to find other ways and other categories" to make money, she says, "otherwise they won't survive." 

Last semester a pilot was tested with seven courses on campus with digital editions of textbooks (eBooks) for the students, but results of the pilot still are not clear.

This seemed unheard of even five years ago says Brittany a CSULB Alumni, “I had one class in my four years at Long Beach that even offered an eBook and the only way to read it was on a computer.”

With more and more students using e-readers, iPads, and tablets, eBooks are becoming a choice way to carry hundreds of books around with one device. They are also cheaper, more eco-friendly, and easier to navigate.

This shift is evident in the consumer market. Amazon.com announced in early February that in Q2, for every 115 eBooks sold only 100 paperbacks were sold. Marking the first quarter in the online retailers 15 years that eBooks out sold paperbacks.