London, KY, USA / SAM 103.9 FM WWEL | Today s Pop Hits
Dec 15, 2020 10:08 AM
Eastern Kentucky University has announced all undergraduate students will get their textbooks for free in the 2021-2022 school year. The initiative is called EKU BookSmart. University president Dr. David McFaddin says the cost of textbooks at Eastern will be zero. McFaddin says EKU is the first public university in the state to do this. He says over 60% of the student body are the first in their family to go to college or are low-income students. He says he thinks back to 25 plus years ago, as a first-generation college student from Appalachia, and explains a few dollars can stand in the way of completing coursework. McFaddin says the initiative will be especially helpful given the impacts of the ongoing pandemic. While this initiative is for the 2021-2022 school year, McFaddin says he hopes to keep bringing it for years to come.