University of Utah faculty and administrators decided to prohibit employees from receiving royalties on their own books assigned in class, in response to an incident when a biology professor benefited financially from using his own textbook.
The committee proposed a policy change that would prohibit teachers from receiving royalties on their own books assigned in class. Although teachers are still allowed to use any text they choose in class, royalties received from their own books must be donated to a charity or other organization.
Paul Mogren, newly appointed president of the Academic Senate, said teachers can choose any book they want, but the change would be a good idea "to keep everyone aboveboard."
"Professors sometimes only make 50 cents on every book sold," he said. "In a class of 24 students, the professor will make $12-that's a pretty small amount."