Syracuse University has selected Barnes & Noble College (BNC), a Barnes & Noble Education company, to manage all course materials, general merchandise, retail and e-Commerce operations for the University’s Campus Store. The transition will take place gradually throughout the fall semester, with Barnes & Noble College assuming full management of the store on Jan. 1, 2025.
BNC will offer a suite of innovative programs and services to support academic success for students and faculty, in addition to delivering an expanded merchandise assortment and elevated retail experiences for the Syracuse campus community.
“We are excited to welcome Barnes & Noble College to Syracuse University and look forward to our partnership,” says John Papazoglou, senior vice president and chief operations officer. “Their expertise will be invaluable as the University continues to focus on delivering affordable, accessible course materials to its students and making sure they have what they need to excel in the classroom.”
As part of the transition, Papazoglou and Julie Hasenwinkel, associate provost for academic programs, will co-chair a multidisciplinary working group aimed at improving textbook affordability for students, utilizing the breadth of options BNC provides. The group, which will include Syracuse University Libraries representatives, students, faculty and staff, will seek to improve textbook adoption rates, promote inclusive access courses and increase the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) in order to bring down cost of attendance for as many students as possible.
Papazoglou anticipates significant benefits for faculty members as well. Faculty will gain access to the market-leading BNC Adoption & Insights Portal (AIP), which allows them to easily research, evaluate and submit affordable course material selections, further driving choice and student success. AIP will also provide the University’s academic leadership with the ability to view real-time adoption rates and submission progress at the school or departmental level and communicate directly with faculty from within the portal.
After a brief vendor transition period, a dedicated on-site textbook liaison will work extensively with faculty, deans and dean’s offices to host information sessions. More information about course materials and adoptions will be shared in the weeks to come.
The partnership with BNC is a result of massive shifts in consumer behavior that began prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, says Papazoglou. The trend away from traditional brick-and-mortar stores selling physical copies of books has only accelerated in the last five years. Consumers have come to expect a simple and unified omnichannel purchase and service experience, a wide variety of apparel and merchandise, and course materials delivered in the format of their choosing.
The Campus Store will offer an expanded product assortment and enhanced customer experience in the store and online through dynamic, personalized web and mobile experiences. Through BNC’s strategic partnership with Fanatics and Lids, global leaders in collegiate licensed merchandise, BNC will offer an unparalleled assortment of school apparel and gifts and an elevated retail experience, in-store and online and via the shop.cuse.com Athletics website, which will transition to the new platform on July 1, 2025.
The Campus Store currently employs approximately 25 full-time individuals who hold a variety of retail and support positions. All employees will work one-on-one with Human Resources representatives and will be offered the opportunity to apply for open positions at the University, or to apply for jobs with Barnes & Noble College and remain at the store. They will transition to those new opportunities throughout the fall semester.
“We are thrilled to partner with Syracuse University to manage all course material, retail and online operations for the University’s Campus Store,” says Jonathan Shar, chief executive officer, Barnes & Noble Education. “It is an honor to support such a prestigious university and to transform the Campus Store into a destination that delivers innovative programs and services for students and faculty. In addition, we will bring a reimagined omnichannel retail experience, an unmatched merchandise assortment, and next-generation e-commerce capabilities to the Syracuse community.”
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