There are more than 25 textbooks sold at the UNM Bookstore written by professors for classes they teach.
"It's common nationally," said Raqui Martinez, director of the Faculty Contracts and Services Office.
She said there is no policy included in faculty contracts regarding requiring a book the professor wrote for a class.
Kristin Umland is the author of College Algebra, a textbook used in all sections of UNM college algebra courses. She said she wrote the text because she was frustrated with commercial textbooks and wanted a book that would improve students' success.
"It's one of those classes where we don't have the success we want," Umland said. "I wanted to improve upon it, and have exactly what we want for our students."
Umland said she wouldn't feel right writing a book and then making money off students.
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"If you do it to make money off it, you wonder why you're doing it," Umland said. "My motivation is to help students."
Umland said she tried to work with the publisher and the bookstore to keep the book fairly inexpensive. The royalties from the book go to UNM's Mathematics and Statistics Department.
Umland wrote the book when she was coordinator for the college algebra classes. Her position has changed since the publication of the text, and she has not been able to use the book to instruct a class. She said it is frustrating because she has not been able to judge how well the book is working. She said she is hoping to get a section of the class next semester.
Umland said the department hasn't received many complaints from students having to purchase a textbook written by a UNM staff member.
Debra Rhymer, a senior in general management said she has had three classes where professors required students to purchase texts they had written themselves.
"It doesn't bother me at all," Rhymer said. "All the professors knew the subject well."
She said all classes require a textbook, so it's better if the profit goes to UNM professors.
"If I didn't have to buy that text, I'd have to buy another one," Rhymer said.
She said teachers making a profit off students from their textbooks isn't really an issue because students pay their professors to teach anyway.
Emily Gonzales, a freshman nursing student said it depends on the way the material is taught.
"If they impose it, it's wrong," Gonzales said. "Either way, students have to buy a book, and students don't have to take those classes."
Mike McGovern, a graduate student studying history and literature said he had a couple of classes where students had to purchase a textbook the professor had written.
"I don't think they did it for any other reason than the book was important," McGovern said.
The book he said he remembered having to purchase was a thin paperback. McGovern said when big hardback texts are required, it becomes more of a concern. Still, he said there are ways students could get around the financial burden, like sharing the cost and the text with other students.
"My angst is directed toward the publishers, not the professors," McGovern said.
McGovern said if a professor was at the top of the field or an expert on the subject, it would only be natural for them to assign a textbook he or she wrote.
