Students in need of a Green Book for their next exam need look no further than their student government office.
Green Books are used in some classes to record written exam answers. The books come in two sizes and can be purchased in the NMU Bookstore for 29 and 39 cents, but last week, the Associated Students of NMU (ASNMU) began offering free Green Books to students.
Mary Raymond, ASNMU chair of Academic Affairs and program sponsor, said the idea for the service came from other universities in the state, including Michigan, Michigan State and Eastern Michigan.
“Their student governments offer the program,” she said. “So that’s where we got the idea. About three weeks ago, I was thinking ‘Why don’t we give away free Green Books?'”
Raymond said ASNMU budgeted $150 to begin the program and initially purchased 500 books directly from the bookstore. More books will be purchased as they are needed.
“We went through the NMU Bookstore and asked them how many they sell a year,” Raymond said. “They sell over 4,000 total. Then it was basically working with other members to make sure people thought this was a useful project, since ASNMU is sponsoring it and we’re paying for all of the Green Books.”
NMU Bookstore Manager Michael Kuzak said he had no previous knowledge that ASNMU was starting the program, but added that it was a good idea. Green Books will still be available for purchase in the bookstore for students that aren’t able, for whatever reason, to make it into the ASNMU office.
“If I were to make that decision, based on the information that I have, I would still offer them for sale,” Kuzak said. “I don’t see any reason we’d pull them off shelves just because someone else is giving them away.”
Raymond added that not only will students get the books for free, but now they may have more exposure to their student government.
“The point of the program is so that students can just run into our office and run out and they don’t have to worry about waiting in line at the bookstore,” she said. “Also, they can get into the ASNMU office, because maybe students don’t know that we’re here and can do things for them.”
