What is First Day® Complete?
First Day® Complete is a course materials fulfillment program for undergraduate students that lowers the cost of course materials and ensures students have access to their required course materials before the first day of class. Instead of purchasing materials a la carte, students will receive all their materials on a rental basis for a flat fee of $360 for full-time and $168 for part-time students, which will be added to their WVU MyAccount.
Physical textbooks will be conveniently packaged and provided to students on a rental basis, and digital materials will be delivered directly within eCampus. Any students with course materials outside of eCampus will receive a unique access code via email or a paper card (depending on publisher delivery method) to access their content. Students are automatically enrolled in the program and have the option to opt-out by a specified date.
How does First Day® Complete benefit students?
First Day® Complete is an equitable access program that makes getting textbooks easier for students. Students will receive their textbooks by the first day of class, and they will save an average of 35-50% on the cost of textbooks.
Which students have access to the program?
This program is available to full-time (12 or more credit hours) or part-time (11 credit hours or less) undergraduate students at WVU Morgantown, Beckley, and Keyser.
Graduate and professional students do not have access to the program and are responsible for purchasing their required course materials.
What materials are included in the program?
The program provides all required textbooks, lab manuals, access codes and digital textbooks to undergraduates on a rental basis. When submitting their course material selections, faculty will be responsible for selecting a hardcopy or digital copy for items like textbooks and manuals.
Most books in the program will be provided as rentals, which helps reduce cost. However, for faculty, especially those within Health Sciences, whose students use the same textbook across several semesters, the WVU Bookstore team will work with those faculty members to ensure the course material format meets the needs of the class.
What materials are not included in the program?
Because First Day® Complete provides most materials on a rental-basis, which helps reduce cost, students are responsible for purchasing consumable course supplies that cannot be returned and reused, such as lab goggles, dissection kits, molecular model kits, engineering kits or nursing kits. However, the WVU Bookstore team will work with faculty members to ensure the course material format meets the needs of the class.
How can faculty contribute to the success of the program?
Faculty contribute to the program's success by submitting their course material selections to the WVU Bookstore before the adoption deadline each semester and selecting course materials that can be provided to students through the program. For example, we encourage faculty to select digital materials that can be provided through eCampus to avoid any added costs on top of the program’s flat rate.
Can faculty opt their courses out of the program?
Students are given the opportunity to review their individual course materials and opt out of the program every semester. All undergraduate courses at the University are part of the First Day® Complete program, and faculty do not have the ability to opt their courses out of the program.
How does Barnes & Noble College (BNC) ensure that students are getting their required course materials?
Approximately one month before classes start, students will receive an email from BNC instructing them to select their fulfillment preference (in-store pickup or shipped directly). A second email notification will be sent when the student’s order is ready for pickup or when it ships. Any digital materials delivered through eCampus will be available when the student has access to their course.
Will faculty have to change their course materials currently being used?
No. There are no restrictions on the course materials you may select for your course. All course materials from any publisher in your preferred format are included in the program.
Why not work directly with publishers?
Publishers do not have the ability to provide all the different formats of content that faculty request at the lowest price possible.
How can we be sure that this will lower textbook costs for our students?
BNC is committed to lowering the costs of course material to our students, and with their integrated supply chain and economies of scale, the First Day® Complete program brings a new innovative way to provide the most affordable solution for our students.
Can students buy their rented textbook?
Yes. The program provides them with the option to purchase textbooks at a reduced rate during the return period.
What happens if a faculty member changes their course material adoption?
If a faculty member changes their course material adoption, faculty should promptly notify the WVU Bookstore of the new adoption and the Bookstore will ensure that students receive the corrected course materials.
What if my teaching assignment changes (e.g., I was scheduled to teach one course, but later assigned to another)?
The WVU Bookstore is committed to helping as they normally do in those situations and will work to update the textbook adoption platform with the new materials.
What happens if a student drops/adds a course?
When a student changes their course schedule, instructions are provided for returning course materials, and they will be prompted via email to select a delivery preference for any new courses added.
What if students have questions or trouble accessing their digital course materials?
Students who utilize the program and have digital materials should be directed to contact Bookstore Customer Care at bookstorecustomercare@bncollege.com for assistance.
If I don’t require a textbook for my course, do my students still have to pay the fee?
Yes. Students are charged a flat rate for all their course materials, regardless of whether one of their classes requires books or not. In order to not be charged, students will need to opt out of the program and will be responsible for purchasing materials for their other courses.
Who do I contact for support?
For additional support regarding the First Day® Complete program, please email FDC@mail.wvu.edu.