Leah HennigThe University of Alberta launched Course Material Access (CMA) for fall 2026, but all the kinks haven’t been worked out yet. This service provides textbooks and course materials for all undergraduate students. By paying a $259 flat-rate student fee, students can simply pick up their books at the U of A bookstore. While helpful for students who need many expensive textbooks, this is an inconvenient additional fee for students who do not need textbooks or are told their textbooks are optional during the first week of classes.
Students can opt out of the fee by September 22. But, this is an inconvenient and frankly annoying process. To opt out, students need to log into the CMA portal, create a new password, then press the opt out button. But there is an unfortunate twist.
For a few students, they cannot opt out of the program until they return the books they have not yet picked up. This makes no sense. It’s impossible to return something they do not have.
The bookstore staff I shared the issue with were polite, friendly, and did their best under the circumstances. But, they were also clearly tired of the issue. They had to tell many people they cannot opt out because the books are on back order. They added my email to the list of students’ emails with the issue. Then I was told they would contact me when the issue is resolved.
The bookstore had great customer service, and this was not the staff’s fault. This is the product of a flawed system. It should have been properly tested before launching to thousands of students. The computer or administration system should not assume we have the books if they are on back order.
My only hope is that if the books do not arrive by the opt-out deadline, students are not forced to pay a fee for a service they are not using.
This service has potential, but it should be an opt-in service, not an opt-out service. Many students will pay their student fees without understanding their full fee assessment. They will then pay for services they do not use.
CMA can be amazing for engineering students and other students who would typically pay for multiple textbooks a semester at hundreds of dollars per textbook. They deserve affordable supplies when they are already paying exorbitant tuition.
There could be an opportunity to create an opt-in system where students can receive their textbooks at a cheaper cost. Of course, CMA works similarly to the U-Pass. Overall costs are lowered by everyone paying, but the benefits are much more variable. The U-Pass lowers the same transit cost for all students, and most students will need to use transit in one way or another during the year. But for course materials, different programs require different textbooks with variable costs.
According to a study done in 2025 by Cameron McCubbing with the U of A Student Union (UASU) department of research and advocacy, the average bachelor’s degree tuition is higher in Alberta than in the rest of Canada. This cost is even higher for international students and those paying residence fees.
If tuition is on average higher than elsewhere in Canada, it should pay for student services without new fees every year. How the U of A manages course materials is flawed and should have been workshopped before the new system was introduced. Students should not need to navigate a new complicated system or pay extra fees because the system is broken.
