Students might get a break when buying textbooks, thanks to a new Textbook Subsidy Program.

The Student Government Association passed a bill creating the program at Tuesday’s meeting.

The program will raise money to lower the cost of textbooks at the University Bookstore, said Greensburg freshman Ronnie Santana, a senator who co-authored the bill.

The program will have its own board and bylaws that will determine how to give out the money raised, Santana said.

SGA President Johnathon Boles said the program is a large undertaking for SGA, since it will have its own governing body and has the potential to help all students.

“This is the most progressive movement we’ve taken,” Boles said.

Although it’s an SGA program, the bookstore will market the program to bring in donations and have representation on the board, since bookstore employees are experts about textbooks, Boles said.

The bookstore tried to get this program started on its own last year, but it wasn’t successful, said Louisville senior Doug Russell, who works at the bookstore and co-authored the bill.

He said that he and other bookstore workers approached SGA about creating the program so that it could be successful.

Before SGA was involved, people thought the bookstore was trying to make money with the program, but with SGA initiating it, people will be more willing to donate, Santana said.

“It puts more of a friendly face on it,” Santana said.

The program will raise money through alumni donations, fundraisers and any other ways the board comes up with, Russell said.

The price reduction of textbooks would start by lowering the price of a book for one specific course and would expand to books for more courses as funds grew, Russell said.

The most expensive textbooks would be chosen first, Russell said.

The program will begin as soon as the board meets and creates bylaws, which will probably be at the beginning of next semester but could be at the end of this semester, Boles said.

All members of the board will be appointed by Boles, Santana said.

Boles said he will begin appointing members to the committee beginning at next week’s SGA meeting.

The board will consist of Boles, a member of the academic affairs and student life committees, two representatives from the bookstore, one student from each of the academic colleges, one graduate student, one member from extended campus, three student body at-large members and one faculty member, Santana said.