Bulkpack ruling still holding many back

Maneesh Chawla is a week behind schedule. "We needed our bulkpacks the second week, but we only got them the third," the Wharton freshman said. "The paper has been put off and the entire syllabus has been set back a week." Students and professors across campus said that even after two months, they are behind in their classes and spending more for their bulkpacks due to a May federal court decision which required copy centers to secure permission from publishers prior to making bulkpacks. "It was a disappointment," Political Science Professor Oliver Williams said last month. "They are partial packs not as complete in the past -- [the copy store] was not prepared and I wasn't prepared." Williams said that the copy store he used could not get permission from all of the publishers and therefore he has to rely on students using books held on reserve. Williams added he always kept books on reserve, but expected a balance between those that would purchase the bulkpack and the few who used the library. Prior to the ruling on Basic Books vs. Kinko's Graphics Co., many of the works were printed in bulkpacks without publisher consent because photocopy centers felt they fell under the "fair use" clause of 1976 copyright laws. Students also complained that the bulkpacks are more expensive since the cost to secure the rights is now handed down to the students. Mark Drake, Campus Copy Center permissions manager, said earlier this semester that charges from publishers vary from free to fifty cents per page. "Kinko's required $15 extra per student for copyright costs," Chawla said. But many students found a silver lining to the new system. "It means less readings," College junior Eugene Chay said last night. "I do feel somewhat cheated, but gratified that I won't have to do as much reading -- no, I won't lose sleep over it." Professors and students added they are uncertain what will happen in upcoming semesters. "I'm not sure what the future holds," American Civilization Professor Murray Murphey said. "I'm not sure if anyone knows at this point what is going to happen." Williams agreed and added that he is unsure if the situation could be fixed. "The rules are changing and the publishers were flooded with permission requests," Williams said. "It has not been as convenient or efficient as in the past. Whether this can be licked I don't know."

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