Common reading upgrades bring success

By Staff Editorial     8/28/08 7:00pm

With yet another Orientation Week come and gone, it is time to sit back and take a look at one of the annual points of debate: the common reading program (See story, page 1). From our point of view, the common reading for this year was a success. Without the results from the formal survey to back it up, we cannot absolutely confirm our conclusion, but the general consensus indicates that most new students and advisors found the common reading to be an engaging experience.We believe several program changes are responsible for the positive response. First of all, the book itself was more engaging than the previous years' choices. Three Cups of Tea is a story written in a style that has more in common with a leisurely read than an academic seminar. While it is by no means a simplistic or childish work, it is of a level well-suited to students working it into their summer vacations. For the common reading program, this meant that more students finished the work than would have otherwise, especially if it had been an academically dense scholarly article, instead.

Also, the introduction and promotion of the program during the spring semester advisor training was a program addition we hope remains on the schedule for future O-Weeks. Rather than hearing about it third-hand and suddenly receiving the book in the mail over the summer, advisors had a chance to hear committee members speak about the choices, and were more prepared to read the book once it arrived at their homes.

In addition, we believe the specific scheduling change during O-Week also played a big role in improving the program. Last year, the common reading discussion was thrown into a dinner period, which gave it the sense of being an unwelcome interruption. This year, the discussion was scheduled for a separate afternoon session, away from any meal times, which made it more focused and expected. The addition of CoffeeHouse-provided tea was also a welcome touch, as it created a more relaxed and informal environment than would have been present otherwise.

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Finally, we applaud the choice of the common reading committee to bring Greg Mortenson to campus. An appealing schedule of follow-up events is the best way to ensure that students retain the lessons and conclusions drawn from their own reading and the O-Week discussion, and bringing the author of the book to campus to share his own experiences is one of the most engaging events possible.

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