Student Issue, 1998—Book Buyback Fraud by Follett Campus Resources

Since 1989 Follett Campus Resources had operated the Book Buyback program in the UT Bookstore. In 1998 an audit by UT’s Internal Audit group revealed that over a ten-year period Follett had systematically underpaid for the books its employees purchased from students. The university placed the restitution funds ($380,000) into a special fund and announced that students would decide how it would be spent. Students Brian Benda and Henrique Vissotto led an effort to pursue a class action lawsuit against Follett. The Student Government Association voted to donate $150,000 of the restitution fund to the Senior Gift Project, which was the Joe Johnson/John Ward Pedestrian Mall.