Student FAQ

Tue, 04 Oct 2016 14:37:03 -0400
cmi

How will I know if a class I am enrolling in is part of the CMI?

Good question! You will know when you register for the course. The following message will be displayed: "This course is part of the UMBC Course Materials Initiative in which reduced pricing was negotiated directly with the publisher for all students enrolling in this course. The course materials are provided in a common digital platform to all students; a maximum course materials charge of $____ will be included on all students’ tuition bills for these materials (so students are not to buy these materials from any other source). The digital textbook and any online publisher integrations associated with your instructor-selected text are accessed directly via Blackboard. [Please note that your instructor may have additional materials required for your course that are not included in this Initiative, but which will be available in the UMBC Bookstore.]"

How much is this charge?

The charge varies from class to class depending on the course materials required.

What if I have a Book Loan or Scholarship?

There is no need for a financial aid book loan for the CMI charges. The charge is automatically billed to your student account when you enroll in the course, and is paid like any other charge. Any excess financial aid loan or scholarship disbursements will also apply against open Course Material charges.

Great, and how does this benefit the students?

Lower-priced course materials. Who doesn’t want that?

Access your course materials by the first day of class; you get the right stuff, right when you need it.

Pay on your student bill, just like tuition. A course materials charge is included on all registered students’ tuition bill for the courses in this program. This allows you to use budget billing for your course materials!

Common digital format – say goodbye to heavy backpacks & bulky books, and feel good about this environmentally-friendly alternative. (Don’t worry there are print options available for those who want it.)

Access your course materials wherever and whenever. Once you download your digital book to your bookshelf app, you can access it anywhere – even OFFLINE! You can study using up to 4 devices; go from your desktop, to your laptop, to your iPad/ Kindle, to your Android/iPhone.

Single sign-on. Tired of having to log into multiple sites to access your course materials? This Initiative makes that problem go away. When you enroll in a CMI course, an ADA compliant, common digital format of your textbook and ancillaries, such as Aleks or WebAssign, automatically uploads onto your Blackboard account.

What if I am a student who prefers a physical textbook?

Students are able to print up to ten pages per login at no other cost than the cost of paper and ink. The UMBC Bookstore has two print copies of each course material at the Course Materials Information Desk. Students can also opt out of the digital material to purchase the physical materials. Please note, if your CMI course is using courseware, opting out removes access to both the eText and courseware. You will need to purchase a bundle of the textbook with access card or similar.

I'm working on a project at 2am and need help but the Bookstore is closed. What do I do?

For the Textbook and online publisher integrations there is 24/7 online support.

What happens if I begin to take a class but end up dropping it?

All students are given temporary two week access to the course materials. If you drop the class during UMBCs add/drop period you will be refunded your CMI charge. If you drop the class after the allowed add/drop date, you will not be refunded, but you will be able to maintain access to the course materials through your VitalSource account.

What if I am retaking a course that is part of the CMI?

If you retake a course that was part of the CMI in both previous and current semesters, you will still have access to your eTextbook and courseware at no additional cost (as long as the materials are the same) within a 2 year period. Our system automatically tracks retakes so there is no action needed on the student end. The CMI charge will be removed/refunded after the CMI Status Change deadline.

Students retaking will see a message about previous access. If they do not see this message, contact the CMI coordination before the CMI Status Change deadline

Where on Blackboard can I find my course materials?

Your course materials are located within your course on Blackboard. Once your professor activates the course, you will be able to access them. Your professor decides where in the course to place the link to the course materials – most commonly the tool link will be in the Course Materials folder.

Click on the "My Textbook & Course Resources" tool in Blackboard

Select "Read Now" to open the eBook in a new tab in VitalSource

For more information on synchronizing your VitalSource account to your Blackboard account click here.

For more information on the three ways you can access your course materials click here.

For more Blackboard troubleshooting, click here.

How do I maintain access to my materials once the semester is over?

You can log into VitalSource directly and access your course materials in your Bookshelf, which you would have created the first time you logged into your materials through Blackboard.

Earlier you said this has multi-platform use, how do I access my course materials on my various devices?

You can download the Bookshelf app from here for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Kindle or any other device you may be using.