You will find the academic on the Faculty Resources Hub page.

For submitting your course materials adoptions requests:

• All faculty should receive an email from the Wildcat Shop with a personalized link at the beginning of the adoption period, which will log you in automatically to our textbook partner, Verba Collect, where you can complete your adoptions. You can learn more at our How To Adopt page.
• Course adoptions received via email are accepted if faculty are unable to complete the process through Verba Collect.
• Please call us at x1356 if you have any difficulties with your adoptions and would like to speak to someone on the Course Materials Department.

Submitting course material adoptions well in advance is essential to ensuring that all required and optional materials are available to students on the first day of class, and at the lowest possible cost.

The adoption timeline supports a multi-step process that includes research, sourcing, pricing, and procurement. Once an adoption is submitted, the Wildcat Shop evaluates edition availability, compares suppliers, and prioritizes lower-cost options such as digital and used formats whenever possible. Sufficient lead time is especially important as publishers often maintain limited inventory, and restocking or sourcing alternative formats can take several weeks - particularly for custom, rare, or international titles.

Early submissions also enable us to comply with Federal Title IV requirements, which mandate that institutions disclose accurate course material information in a timely manner so students can make informed financial decisions, particularly those using financial aid. Delayed or incomplete adoptions can directly impact students’ ability to plan and access funds appropriately.

In addition, early adoption information allows the CWU Library time to evaluate opportunities to provide lower-cost or no-cost alternatives, such as existing holdings, licensed e-books, or open educational resources (OER). This collaborative effort helps reduce the overall financial burden on students.

Finally, advance adoptions improve inventory management. Our returns process begins approximately six weeks into each term. Late submissions limit our ability to retain or source inventory efficiently, often resulting in higher costs and reduced availability.

For all of these reasons, timely and complete adoption submissions are critical to supporting student success, affordability, and compliance.

Determining the appropriate quantity of course materials requires balancing anticipated student demand with responsible inventory management. We recognize that fluctuations in pre-registration and late enrollment can make predicting class size challenging, and faculty input is an important part of this process.

When establishing order quantities, the Wildcat Shop reviews each adoption using a combination of:

• Current enrollment data
• Historical enrollment and sales trends
• Faculty-provided insights and estimates

If there is a significant difference between projected demand and historical patterns, our textbook team will consult with instructors before making adjustments to ensure accuracy.

We also account for external purchasing options, as students may obtain materials from other sources. Based on long-term data and experience, we apply a modest adjustment to order quantities to reflect this broader marketplace while still aiming to meet student needs.

Our goal is to have sufficient inventory available for all students who wish to purchase through the Wildcat Shop, while minimizing excess stock. Overstocked materials often need to be returned to publishers, which incurs additional costs and contributes to the overall pricing pressures within the textbook market.

If you are uncertain about expected enrollment or would like guidance in estimating quantities, our textbook team is available to assist. We are committed to working collaboratively with faculty to ensure timely access to course materials while supporting affordability and efficient operations.

Consumable materials are non-text items that are intended to be used or depleted by students during the duration of a course, such as art supplies, or packaged kits.

Our course materials department can source and stock these required and optional materials for your course. The Wildcat Shop works with faculty to ensure these items are available for students in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Course material pricing is based on the costs charged to the Wildcat Shop by publishers and suppliers. As a retailer, we apply a standard markup to support store operations, while offering discounted pricing on both new and used materials whenever possible to provide additional savings to students.

The price of a textbook reflects several contributing factors, including publisher costs, author compensation, production, and distribution. A portion of textbook revenue also supports campus programs and bookstore operations.

To support student access and affordability, the Wildcat Shop actively works to negotiate contracts with publishers for discounted pricing and seeks opportunities to lower costs through industry practices such as sourcing used materials, offering digital options, and participating in course material access programs.

Because publisher pricing is set externally, price changes are largely driven by the publishing industry. Our focus remains on ensuring students have timely access to required materials - at the most affordable cost possible - while fully supporting faculty choice.

If you have questions about course material pricing, please reach out to the director for more information.

Textbook orders are placed well in advance of each quarter based on projected enrollment at that time. When enrollment increases significantly - particularly during late registration or the first week of classes—demand can exceed the initial order quantities.

When this occurs, the Wildcat Shop works quickly with publishers and suppliers to restock materials and minimize delays. Our goal is always to ensure students have access to required course materials as early as possible, even when enrollment changes unexpectedly.

Submitting course adoptions on time helps us plan more accurately and secure sufficient inventory to meet student needs.

While we plan inventory based on projected enrollment, occasional out-of-stock situations can occur, particularly during periods of increased or late enrollment.

The Wildcat Shop closely monitors enrollment and inventory levels throughout the start of the quarter to quickly identify shortages. When materials are unavailable, we work promptly with publishers and suppliers to reorder and restore inventory as soon as possible.

Our priority is to minimize disruptions and ensure students have access to required course materials in a timely manner.

If course materials are temporarily unavailable, please direct students to contact the Wildcat Shop Course Materials team at textbooks@cwu.edu or by phone for assistance.

If a reorder is already in progress, we will provide updates on expected availability. If not, students may place a special order by prepaying for the item. These orders are prioritized and typically shipped on an expedited basis at no additional cost, with most arriving within a few days.

Our team is committed to helping students secure the materials they need as quickly as possible and will work directly with them to identify the best available options.

All reorders are rush shipped and usually arrive within 4-5 days.

Instructor Name
Department/Course Number/Section Number
Author's Last and First Name (if more than one author, list the first)
Complete Title
Edition
Publisher
ISBN (International Standard Book Number)
Whether the Book is Required or Optional
Expected Enrollment

If you do not have all of this information, we will happily work with publishers and book companies to ensure we obtain it for our adoption records.

Course material adoptions are due 5 weeks prior to the start of the quarter. Submitting by this deadline allows the Wildcat Shop to source materials, secure inventory, and ensure students have access by the first day of class.

Timely adoptions are also important for compliance with federal Title IV requirements and Washington State RCW 28B.10.590, which require institutions to provide students with accurate and timely information about required course materials, including costs, when materials are incorporated into student charges or financial aid. Meeting the adoption deadline helps ensure transparency, affordability, and proper administration of these programs.

If an adoption is submitted after the deadline, we will still work to support your course and we will prioritize digital options to provide students with faster access. For physical materials, we can typically process late orders within approximately three weeks, depending on availability.

Submitting adoptions on time is the best way to ensure availability, manage costs, and support student access from the start of the quarter.

Faculty select the desired edition when submitting course material adoptions. You can specify a particular edition or request the latest edition through Verba Collect or by email.

In some cases, we may identify a newer edition that has been released since your submission. If so, the Wildcat Shop will reach out to confirm whether you would like to adopt the newer version.

Because CWU operates on a quarter system, selecting the most current edition is often recommended for digital materials. Many digital products are designed around semester timelines and may expire before the end of a quarter if an older edition is used. Choosing the latest edition helps ensure consistent access for students and reduces potential availability or access issues.

For physical materials, older editions are not supported unless they can be provided through suppliers, which is not common. Availability is often limited, and selecting the most current edition generally offers the best likelihood of consistent supply.

If you have questions about editions or would like guidance, our team is always available to assist.

The Course Materials Access Program (CAP) is CWU’s new approach to delivering required course materials to undergraduate students. Beginning Fall 2026, students will receive day-one access to their course materials - whether digital or physical - for a flat rate each quarter.

CAP is available with two options:

• CAP Complete: for a $249 flat fee (inc. tax) students will receive all required course materials, all billed to the student account.
• CAP Select: for students who wish to acquire and pay for their course materials item by item, may be cheaper than CAP Complete depending on student course load. Selections are billed to the student account.
• Opt Out: Opting Out means students accept full responsibility for finding and procuring their own course materials.

CAP Complete, billed as a flat rate to the student account, covers:

• Required digital and e-textbooks
• Required physical textbooks
• Required access codes
  
• Required consumable course supply kits intended to be used for a single class

The CAP Complete flat rate does NOT cover:

• Other non-ISBN course materials
• Out of print textbooks
• Optional or alternative versions of textbooks
• Optional course materials

If a student selects the CAP Select plan or Opts Out entirely they will be purchasing course materials item-by-item and will not be paying the flat rate.

Faculty will continue choosing the materials that best support your course. Submitting those materials in a timely manner is vital to ensure those materials are delivered to students by the first day of class. CAP does not change faculty's academic freedom or adoption process.

You can learn more about CWU's adoptions process on our How to Adopt page in our Faculty Resources Hub.

No. Faculty maintain full control over all readily available textbook and resource selection. However, the Wildcat Shop encourages digital-first and Open Educational Resources (OER) options when feasible, to help manage student costs and increase accessibility.

To ensure all students receive their materials on time, its important that faculty:

• Submit course material adoptions on time according to state and federal regulation and by the campus deadline.
• Clearly identify all required and optional materials in your adoption.
• When submitting your adoptions, include all non-ISBN materials, so that the Wildcat Shop can provide them for your students.
• Select readily available and low-cost course materials for your classes. Explore development of OER materials in partnership with the Library.

• Most digital materials are integrated into Canvas and available by day one.
• Required physical materials and access codes are available for pickup at the Wildcat Shop or can be shipped for a fee.
• Non-CAP and course materials will also be available for purchase at the Wildcat Shop.

CAP includes digital materials traditionally provided through the Inclusive Access model. Students who enroll in CAP Select will be choosing their course materials item by item, course by course exactly the same as our previous IA model.

Students may choose to opt out of the program by the add/drop deadline of the upcoming quarter by going to their Canvas page. If they do:

• Students will be responsible for sourcing and purchasing their own physical course materials.
• Students may still appear in your course roster with a mix of access types.

Alternatively, students can still enroll in CAP Select and acquire their course materials on an item by item basis, billed to their student account. If a student chooses to stay enrolled in CAP Complete all of their course materials will be automatically available to them on day one.

• Day-one access ensures all students start the term prepared.
• Flat-rate pricing makes costs more predictable across all majors.
• Financial aid eligibility allows materials to be covered like tuition and housing.

• Increased student preparedness.
• Less time troubleshooting access issues at the start of the term.
• Improved access to required content, supporting classroom engagement and success.

The Wildcat Shop is here to support you. Contact us at textbooks@cwu.edu for help with adoptions, questions about digital delivery, or anything else related to CAP.

The Course Materials Access Program (CAP) is designed to make required course materials more accessible and affordable for all students—goals that closely align with CWU’s support for Open Educational Resources (OER).

Here's how they work together:

• Faculty choice is central. If you’re already using OER—or would like to—CAP fully supports that. Materials with no cost to students (including OER) are recognized in the adoption process and are reflected in the flat-rate pricing.
• Encouraging lower-cost options. CAP provides a framework for more consistent material access, while also encouraging a shift toward digital-first and openly licensed resources when it fits the course.
• Partnering with the Libraries. The Wildcat Shop and CWU Libraries are working together to provide tools, training, and support for faculty interested in adopting, remixing, or creating OER materials.
• Student savings. When OERs are adopted, the overall cost of CAP is reduced—helping to lower the average price for everyone while supporting access for those who need it most.