As authorities in their fields, professors often write textbooks in their areas of expertise.

But some professors also require their students to buy their own works. This can pose various ethical and financial problems unless monitored carefully.

OU's policy states that professors are allowed to require their own works in class only if the work is subject to a peer review process and is published outside of OU, said Greg Heiser, assistant provost. The provost's office gives every OU professor a copy of this policy in the faculty handbook.

"What we've basically said is that it is not permissible to personally profit by materials that are not regularly published," Heiser said.

When the rule went into effect, some professors were told to stop selling their texts to students, which they did.

He said the policy is intended to prevent professors from taking advantage of their students.

"Obviously, there can be a problem because students are a captive audience," Heiser said.

Heiser said professors sometimes donate the money they make on their books back to the OU foundation.

Sometimes students can benefit from using texts their professors wrote, such as when the professor has written the definitive work on the subject.

"There can be something kind of cool about taking a professor who has written the book on the subject," Heiser said.

Doug Gaffin, dean of University College and associate professor of zoology, wrote a mixed-majors zoology textbook with three other authors. He said he assigns the text to his classes because it is one of few such books on the market.

"I would use other textbooks ... but right now it fits our needs," Gaffin said.

For professors, using books written specifically for certain classes allows them more control over what the class covers, he said.

"It allows us to tell the stories we want to tell, the way we want to tell them," Gaffin said.

OU economics professor W. Robert Reed said he assigns his own text to his classes because the material he wants to cover is not included in other texts.

"While I could assemble a packet of collected readings from other works, I am able to get my points across more effectively if I have one text in which the pieces are designed to fit together," Reed said in an e-mail.

Reed said he chose not to collect royalties from the sale of his book.

Students have mixed feelings about the practice. Jermeshia Montgomery, economics senior, had to purchase a book her professor authored in the past. Montgomery found it difficult to deal with her professor. She felt she couldn't question the book when because her professor had written it himself.

Montgomery said it is sometimes acceptable for professors to use their own works in class, though.

"If they have expertise in that area, why not get their book to profit the professor?" she said.

Some professors disapprove of professors using their own books in their classes.

"There's something unsavory about it; it suggests a conflict of interest," OU history professor William W. Savage, Jr. said.

Savage said professors need to be trained not to exploit students through required assignments.

Heiser said there haven't been any big issues since the policy governing textbook assignments went into effect. If a case is questionable, a committee will review it.

"Recently it just hasn't come up. Obviously, if some one knows about a case they should let us know," Heiser said.
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