Finally, professors are getting the message.

As tuition and textbook prices continue to empty the bank accounts of Pennsylvania's college students, some members of the Penn State faculty seem to be taking notice.

The University Faculty Senate recently discussed the problem of skyrocketing textbook prices and ways that professors can combat this problem.

And from the bottom of our wallets, we thank the University Faculty Senate for brainstorming some ways to make life a little easier on students.

If this is any indication of concrete changes for the future, students living in Happy Valley should be breathing a collective sigh of relief.

Certainly, it is time that university faculty take an active approach to helping students graduate from Penn State without a ridiculous amount of debt to pay back.

However, this is not a problem that can be left to professors alone.

Professors cannot lower tuition. They cannot spend time lobbying in Harrisburg. They cannot and should not be held responsible for giving students an affordable education.

Professors do, however, have the power to choose inexpensive textbooks and provide students with cheaper alternatives.

We make a plea to all Penn State professors: Please require fewer $120 textbooks that students open twice a semester. Please choose textbooks that can be sold back to the bookstores.

And please let the textbook companies know that it is ridiculous to release new editions of mathematics books every year for virtually no reason.

Paying for college has never been easy, but it is time for professors, students and university officials to rise up against textbook companies that value profit above education.

It's called working the system.

A movement of online book swapping has already begun.

Bookstores continue to offer used textbooks.

And many professors utilize the reserve room in Penn State's libraries so students do not purchase expensive books they will only use a few times.

Now it's time for everyone affiliated with higher education to deliver the message directly to textbook companies.

A bill of $600 per semester for supplies is simply too much.

With help from the University Faculty Senate and other university officials, Penn State students may soon see a light at the end of the tunnel of unaffordable education.

But, professors, we need to keep the momentum going.

The pressure is on.