Florida Southwestern State College

Inclusive Access & Campus Store Innovation at Florida SouthWestern State College

Inclusive Access & Campus Store Innovation at Florida SouthWestern State College

Challenges

Solution

Results

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CASE STUDY

Inclusive Access & Campus Store Innovation at Florida SouthWestern State College

About FSW

Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) is a leading institution within the Florida College System, serving over 18,000 students across four campus locations. The college offers several degree pathways, catering to a diverse student body, including a significant number of dual-enrolled students. As part of its commitment to accessibility and affordability, FSW has continuously worked to provide high-quality education, incorporating innovative solutions to drive student success.

FSW initiated a competitive bid process, seeking a flexible, cost-efficient bookstore partner that could enhance the student experience through clear communication and streamlined operations. The college needed a solution that would modernize its campus stores while addressing challenges such as textbook affordability and accessibility.

Partnership Goals

FSW aimed to enhance its course materials distribution and student retail experience by adopting hybrid business model that integrates both physical and digital solutions. Key goals included:

  • Expanding the Inclusive Access program to reduce student costs and ensure first-day access to materials.
  • Ensuring compliance with Florida's textbook pricing regulations through upgraded adoption tools and transparent pricing.
  • Improving course materials accessibility for dual-enrolled students through stronger collaboration with local high schools.
  • Strengthening the FSW retail experience by increasing sales of branded merchandise and elevating campus store services.
  • Introducing innovative campus store solutions, such as pop-up stores and vending machines, to better serve students across multiple locations.

These ambitious goals set the stage for transformation, but FSW identified various challenges that needed to be addressed to make these objectives a reality.

Challenges

Before partnering with BibliU, FSW faced several obstacles that emphasized the need for a flexible, innovative partner:

  • Delays in Course Materials Access: Students experienced delays in receiving course content, leaving them unprepared at the start of each term.
  • Rising Textbook Costs: The increasing cost of textbooks posed financial barriers, particularly for dual-enrolled students, making affordability a pressing concern.
  • Compliance with Affordability Regulations: Florida’s statute on textbook affordability requires consistent pricing for learning materials, highlighting the need for a more transparent and efficient adoption process.
  • Shifts in Campus Store Usage: Lower traffic at one physical campus store location ultimately resulted in its closure and showcased the necessity to evolve all campus store operations.

Contending with these challenges required a vendor capable of offering a customized approach. BibliU was selected as the ideal partner, providing a tailored solution that could develop alongside FSW’s needs.

Bibliu's Tailored Solution: UL+

FSW and BibliU worked closely to launch Universal Learning+, a strategic solution that prioritizes communication, affordability, and flexibility. Regular meetings between the teams ensured that BibliU’s offerings aligned with FSW's specific needs. At the start of the Spring 2025 term, over 40% of FSW’s courses adopted BibliU's Inclusive Access (IA) program. A dedicated FSW adoptions team collaborated with BibliU to provide faculty with the necessary support throughout the transition. Additionally, BibliU and FSW met with local high school districts to demonstrate how the Inclusive Access program benefits dual-enrolled students, ensuring they have the same access to course materials as FSW undergraduates.

BibliU also played a key role in transforming the campus stores, introducing new merchandise and supplies while retaining experienced store managers to maintain staff expertise throughout the transition. To better serve students, FSW launched pop-up campus stores during peak periods and stocked vending machines with essential supplies. This approach allowed FSW to better meet student needs across campuses.

At Florida SouthWestern State College, student success is always at the heart of our initiatives. Our partnership with BibliU has allowed us to dramatically enhance the accessibility and affordability of course materials for all of our students, including our growing dual-enrolled population. Through innovative solutions like Inclusive Access, pop-up campus stores, and seamless material delivery, we are removing barriers and ensuring every student has the tools they need to succeed from day one.

–  

Jason Dudley, Vice President, IT & Digital Strategies, Chief Information Officer, FSW

Results

Through this partnership, FSW achieved several key outcomes:

Affordable, Day-One Access:

Including course materials in tuition ensured students received all required content on the first day of class, reducing out-of-pocket costs and helping them stay focused and academically prepared.

Enhanced Adoption Tools:

BibliU’s streamlined adoption platform allowed faculty to easily compare pricing, select materials, and align with Florida’s affordability requirements—boosting transparency and simplifying compliance.

Modernized Campus Stores:

FSW preserved its campus store while introducing innovations like pop-up locations during peak times and vending machines with essential supplies to better meet student needs.

Conclusion

FSW’s collaboration with BibliU has redefined the student experience by offering affordable, seamless access to course materials and updating campus store services, all while prioritizing student satisfaction and success.

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Universal Learning+

A complete campus store solution, integrating a Universal Learning affordable, first day access program with physical and/or online store management.

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