Opt Out option for digital textbooks and access codes

 When Digital Textbooks or Access Codes are delivered to a student through Blackboard and the fees are assessed automatically through a course fee, students have the option to opt out of that access.  If they do so, they are required to purchase the materials or access privately and provide the access code when prompted.  This is only an option for those course fees that are described as "digital textbook/access code" on your Student Account.  See below for more information.

E-lab/Course Fee Opt-Out - (Digital Textbook/Access Code)

In an effort to protect students and ensure their best interest, the U.S. Department of Education published new rules (34CFR668.161-167) via the Federal Register on October 30, 2015. The Program Integrity and Improvement rules require Eastern Kentucky University to provide students the ability to opt-out of course/class fees associated with books or supplies.

34CFR668.164 (c) (2) page 67196 (PDF page 72):

(2) An institution may include the costs of books and supplies as part of tuition and fees under paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section if:

(i) The institution —
(A) Has an arrangement with a book publisher or other entity that enables it to make those books or supplies available to students below competitive market rates;
(B) Provides a way for a student to obtain those books and supplies by the seventh day of a payment period; and
(C) Has a policy under which the student may opt out of the way the institution provides for the student to obtain books and supplies under this paragraph (c)(2).

A student who opts out under this paragraph (c) (2) is considered to also opt out under paragraph (m) (3) of this section;

The University takes your education seriously. In addition to negotiating large discounts, EKU coordinates with Barnes & Noble @ EKU Bookstore and the publishers to deliver your books and materials through Blackboard so these are available to you on the first day of class.

Students wishing to exercise their right to opt out of an eligible course fee should submit the “opt out” form, under the Student Accounting Services card, on myEKU within the first two weeks of the term.  Students who opt out understand that they are responsible for purchasing a code from another party and will need to enter the code in Blackboard after 30 days or course material access will be turned off.