Current students likely remember receiving a paperback book in the mail a few weeks before the start of college. This book was sent as part of the Common Reading Program, which provides incoming freshmen with the opportunity to read a book that provokes conversation and allows for the chance to meet new friends through these discussions.
This year, the program is being revamped to incorporate the voices of more faculty and current students at Tufts, and there will likely be a greater variety of book suggestions as a result.
To revamp this program, a suggestion form for the Common Reading Program that provides students and faculty with the chance to voice their opinion on a book that the Class of 2014 should read can be found at the Web site activecitizen.tufts.edu. Any student can submit his or her opinion before the deadline on April 9.
A student or faculty member chooses a book and can describe whether the chosen book reflects the mission of Tufts or pertains to active citizenship. In addition, the suggestion form also asks the individual to write a brief paragraph on why the book should be chosen for the Common Reading Book for this fall.
Mindy Nierenberg, Tisch College of Citizen and Public Service senior student programs manager, has taken the reins of this program. Nierenberg decided that it would be important for the Tufts community to choose a book together that would allow many students and faculty members to impart their beliefs and wisdom to the new class.
The Alumni Association, the Committee for Undergraduate Orientation and the Tisch College have co−sponsored a Common Reading Program book since 2006.
While discussing the past Common Reading Books that Tufts has chosen, Nierenberg thought the process needed a boost.
"It is different this year than in the past," she said. "In the past, three administrators would begin the process by choosing the book by researching through literary magazines. The committee would then narrow it down to two books and ask some more faculty members to give their opinion on the two books that they have chosen.
"This year we want to get as many suggestions as possible," Nierenberg continued. "We want to receive feedback from all faculty members, no matter their department. So far this year we have received about 80 submissions of a huge variety of suggestions."
According to Nierenberg, "Three Cups of Tea" (2007), a book about a man's commitment to helping young girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan overcome poverty and educating them, has been one of the most popular selections.
Faculty have also made suggestions. A biology faculty member chose the book "True Notebooks" (2003) about a writer who spends a year teaching at a juvenile detention center. A community health faculty member chose "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria" (1997) because the teacher thought that race was not discussed enough at Tufts and it would be beneficial to have a discussion on this issue.
Nierenberg also discussed how a Common Reading Book is important for an incoming class to learn about their new classmates. "It is important because it gives students the opportunity to share common experience from the outset. We try to give students the opportunity to discuss the book and provide an academic environment to do so. Through this program, students meet new people and also meet the author. In the past, I feel that there has been a connection, but we want it to be stronger," she said.
In addition to sending the book to incoming freshmen to read, more programs will be created this year for the chosen book, such as class discussions.
"We would like the book to be included and utilized in the first−year writing curriculum," she said. "In addition, we would also want workshops that would be held throughout the year to discuss the book in more depth."
While discussing possible options of expanding the Common Reading Program, Nierenberg recalled an occasion when the committee considered changing its focus from picking a book to picking a film to watch.
"There was one year when someone had recommended a documentary," Nierenberg said. "The experience of reading a book is essential to the college experience and very individual. A documentary would be a big waste of money due to the costs for setting up movie screenings and also sending out DVDs to all the students."
Based on the response to the work chosen for the Class of 2013, a book will still be the main source for this program. Students from the Class of 2013 felt that the book, "Brother, I'm Dying" (2007) by Edwidge Danticat, a memoir depicting the author's family's experiences as Haitian immigrants in the United States, discussed a topic not normally talked about, but relevant due to the large Haitian community in Boston.
"The book provided students with a fascinating perspective of a different lifestyle that is not usually discussed in the mainstream," freshman Miguel Zamora−Mills said. "However, the book's message about family could be related [to] by all."
According to Nierenberg, she thought that there was a strong response to the book during Orientation Week, and especially again when the recent earthquake shook Haiti in January.
"I enjoyed the multicultural aspect of the book, and I think that the idea of immigration and having to mediate between two cultural struggles is relevant to many issues that we discuss at Tufts," freshman Mark Nichols said. "It's especially relevant [while moving to college] to our own task of balancing our home communities with our new community at Tufts. The social justice and active citizenship themes in the book are relevant."
However, Nichols also added that the book didn't add to his orientation experience on a personal level. He recalled chatting informally with a few friends about the book, but never went to an official book discussion. "In general, it's a good take it or leave it opportunity — it was a good way to get excited about college … We didn't have to pay for the book, yet it wasn't mandatory," he said.
Freshman Faith Blake agreed. "I enjoyed reading the book, but I didn't see it bringing people together too much during Orientation … Not many people talked about [it]," she said. "I personally enjoyed it, but I could see it becoming an annoying obligation if students were required to read it or if there was too much follow−up programming during Orientation."
"By looking at the surveys, the response to last year's book was positive and proved to be something that was useful due to the earthquake in Haiti," Nierenberg said. "Personally, I had not known that much from Haiti, and it was an extremely interesting read. I feel that the book had built upon many students' knowledge of this country and contributed to students' fundraising efforts. When choosing a book, the strongest decision involves the connection the reader feels with the subject."
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Emily Maretsky contributed reporting to this article.
