Fairfield University’s Red Stack Direct program, designed to provide students with textbooks and course materials at discounted rates, is facing growing scrutiny due to delays in book deliveries and concerns over communication gaps between professors and the campus bookstore.
The program, which aims to streamline the textbook ordering process and make materials more affordable, has seen mixed reactions from students. While some students appreciate the service, others report issues undermining the program’s effectiveness and some question whether the Red Stack program is still the most cost-effective option.
“I used it the first semester, but this semester I was able to find all of my books for cheaper, so it wasn’t worth it,” said first-year Natalia Marciano, expressing frustration over the rising materials costs despite the program’s promises of savings.
Beyond the financial concerns, there are also complaints about logistical issues.
“I think it’s a nice idea, but the communication between professors and the bookstore needs to improve,” said first-year Ryan Whitman, “My class last semester gave me a business communication book I didn’t use because the professor used a different book.”
These miscommunications point to a more significant issue—ensuring that the right materials are provided to students on time.
Faculty members are increasingly vocal about the disruptions caused by delays and logistical challenges within the Red Stack program.
Professor of English, Elizabeth Boquet uses one word to describe Red Stack: “Nightmare.” She boils Red Stack down to two options to avoid succumbing to issues that come with using Red Stack: “You either have to construct your class in a way that doesn’t rely on students having access to the assigned materials that I submitted on time,” she offers. “Or, you manually create PDFs of books that the students have purchased and should have access to. Last semester I didn’t rely on using a textbook I was assigned because I knew the book would not be in on time because of Red Stack,” noted English professor Elizabeth Boquet.
The Chair of the English Department, Nels Pearson, is also concerned about logistics, “I’m not entirely sure of all the details and causes involved. But the fact remains that when we have a system that results in any delays and roadblocks at all with students getting books on time, it means there has not been enough concern for the impact on learning, on faculty labor and expertise, and on student learning,”
“I received everything on time; I just had to make sure I submitted the order early enough,” said Rebecca Pfeffer ‘28, who described a positive experience with the Red Stack service.
For these students, planning appears to be the key to ensuring the timely arrival of materials.
According to a recent internal messaging circulated among department chairs and deans obtained by The Mirror, the problem seems to be affecting multiple departments. A professor from the English department shared that at least 10 colleagues had reached out with complaints, noting that even though they submitted their textbook orders on time, their students were still unable to receive the required materials.
“I find it maddening that here we are in the Amazon-ocene era, yet it somehow becomes more and more difficult every year to just get books in the hands of students so that we can teach classes the way we need to,” one professor expressed in a message to university leadership obtained by The Mirror.
The growing number of complaints suggests that this is not an isolated issue but a systemic one affecting a broad range of courses. As the semester progresses, faculty members hope the university and the bookstore can work together to address these logistical issues before they further impact students and faculty.
The Red Stack Direct program is meant to be a convenient solution for students, simplifying the process of acquiring textbooks and materials. Yet, with multiple students expressing concerns about delays, cost, and the mismatch between ordered materials and course requirements, it is clear that improvements need to be made.
Many students and faculty left navigating a system that isn’t quite meeting their expectations—whether it’s dealing with unexpected delays or finding more affordable alternatives elsewhere.
Pearson added, “I do worry that this all signals the general lack of concern for actual learning, which is increasingly seen as transactional and based on content delivery rather than as something that develops between faculty and students within classrooms.”
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