How to Make Your Common Reading Flourish from Beginning to Success! Julie E. Fisher Program Coordinator, Learning Communities The University of Texas at San Antonio

Agenda: Background information Common Reading Process Step 1: Establish a Clear Vision Step 2: Administrative Prep Work Step 3: Pick a Book Step 4: Marketing Step 5: Collaboration! Step 6: Carry the Experience Step 7: Assessment Data from UTSA Continued challenges Opportunity for sharing and questions

A Glimpse @ Learning Communities A Glimpse @ UTSA Founded in 1969, Hispanic Serving Institution (62.0% Minority) 30,000+ students with approximately 5,000 first-time freshmen enrolling each fall (67.8% undergraduates are 18 - 22) Historically commuter campus quickly evolving into a residential campus A Glimpse @ Learning Communities Founded in 2000 (Title V Grant), served approx. 1,750 freshmen ‘09 - ‘10 year Voluntary program for everyone but provisionally admitted students Traditional “linked courses” model always including a Freshman Seminar (FS) that counts as a 3 hour core curriculum credit – housed in Academic Affairs The FS is taught by a mixture of faculty, adjunct instructors, and volunteer staff Most FS courses are different

The Common Reading at UTSA 2003 - LC started the program; book used as a text in FS courses 2008 - Grant established for summer program 2009 - LC piloted the summer program 2010 - The Common Reading expanded to all incoming freshmen Brought the author(s) to campus every year but 2004 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Requirements in Learning Communities Book used as a text Summer projects Creative assignments using themes Submitted for a grade in first 3 weeks Creates buy-in and preparedness Essay contest (mandatory) Awards dinner with guests Scholarships Publications Must attend 3 campus/LC events

The Summer Common Reading Process

Step 1: Establish a Clear Vision Who is your target audience and WHY? Goals/Learning Outcomes Provide a common ACADEMIC experience to new freshmen Promote cross-discipline thinking, writing, and dialogue Give freshmen the opportunity to practice college level skills Expose students to diverse ideas, thoughts, and practices Stakeholders? Be at peace with the fact you will ask 5,000 18 year old freshmen to read a book during their summer vacation. Timeline: You will need to start this step NOW for a summer common reading program in May 2012.

Step 2: Administrative Prep Work Ensure stakeholders are on board Budget Giving vs. buying the book Books ~ $5.00 to $10.00 per student Author’s visit (set contract ASAP!) Honorarium and Travel ~ $2,000 to $50,000+ Student engagement Films or documentaries Guest lectures Socials Interactive Volunteer opportunities Faculty/Staff discussions; book clubs Marketing costs

Step 3: Pick a Book Establish a committee – those using the book, natural readers Our book requirements: Must be in paperback by the time Bookstore will order Author must be alive and available (and reasonably priced) No movie adaptation exists and/or not used in area high schools Should carry well across the disciplines Catches the reader’s attention within the first 25 pages Book is no more than 300 pages Preferred: book is not widely used in the Common Reading realm Handout: Timeline and Process for Picking a Book Timeline: You will need to start this step in May 2011 for a summer common reading program in May 2012.

Instructor Support Tools for Instructors Common Reading Faculty Manual! Additional materials if applicable (music CD) Information at our annual training Further information at a pre-semester breakfast LC Blackboard page – electronic copies of all resources discussion area Monthly support lunch meetings Work with the Library End of the day: Expectations

Step 4: Marketing Get the word out! Orientations – before, during, and after New student materials/flyers/banners Advisors, faculty, staff, student leaders Email/social networking/website(s) Mail outs/take-aways Announcement parties Information fairs Parents Accountability Book used in classes Mandatory activities “Strong words” Timeline: You will need to start this step in October for a summer common reading program in May 2012.

Targeted Marketing LC Students: Leave Orientation with a Resource CD Welcome/Explanation Letter Tips for reading Food for Thought – discussion questions Summer Projects Follow up letter and email Non-LC Students: Leave Orientation with information Follow up email Direct to website for further information Campus-wide Single page informational, book synopsis, and author bio Direct to website

Step 5: Collaboration! Collaborate ACROSS the campus – think outside your realm Connect with departments and offices, build common goals Library – resource area, exhibits, events Orientation – activities, student leaders, shout outs Student Activities/University Center – hub of student life, info fairs Volunteer Services – Common Reading + Service Learning = GOOD! Dining Services – want to be visible, contributor of free food Core Classes and Departments – class involvement Great exposure for smaller/unseen offices and student groups “Non-student” offices or untraditional departments What students could have an interest? Special interest research groups/professors looking to be exposed?

Step 6: Carry the Experience Summer projects and essay contest for LC Events What gets a crowd? Lectures are nice, but students want fun too! Get interactive Impact the community FOOD! Author’s Visit Host multiple events – different populations and activity sizes Faculty and staff event Provisional students, special interest group(s), etc. Surprise visit at student events Time for touring and a photo op Skype sessions Timeline: You will need to start this step in November for a summer common reading program in May 2012.

Step 7: Assessment Paper vs. online surveys Expected rate of response Focus groups WHEN are you assessing? Beginning vs. end of semester Ensure you are assessing each piece: Mission/Goals Learning outcomes Marketing Book Author’s appearance Events/activities

Assess and Share 6 week evaluation for LC students (fall 2009) 55.68% of students said they read all or most of the book prior to the start of the semester. 75.00% of students said they completed their Summer Project on time. 76.14% of students thought the Summer Common Reading was a good idea and should continue. End of term evaluation for LC students (fall 2009) 51.49% of students believed the Common Reading helped them connect with their peers in and out of the classroom. 63.43% of students believed the Common Reading helped them think about issues not necessarily associated with their majors. 58.21% of students believed the Common Reading helped them practice academic skills needed for college level work. 77.61% of students believed the Common Reading was well integrated in their Freshman Seminar class.

Why would or wouldn’t you recommend a Common Reading for freshmen next year? 24.35% - It helps with transition to college 18.26% - It helps students connect and relate to others 15.65% - It helps build academic skills 3.48% - It helps students get involved 23.48% - The program and/or book wasn’t interesting 8.70% - It was all a waste of time 4.35% - Students don’t like to read 1.35% - Students are too busy for programs like this Answers coded from an open-ended response question

What did you enjoy least about the Common Reading Experience? 21.74% - I had to read over the summer 19.13% - I didn’t like the book 17.39% - I didn’t like the class assignments or essay 15.65% - The program/book was too long 14.78% - I didn’t like the activities associated 10.43% - The program and/or book was boring/waste of time 0.87% - I didn’t want to buy the book Data from end of term evaluation – fall 2009

What did you enjoy most about the Common Reading Experience? 32.74% - It helped me connect with my peers 24.78% - I enjoyed the activities associated 23.01% - I enjoyed the book 8.85% - It gave me something to do over the summer 7.08% - It helped me improve my reading and/or study skills 3.54% - It helped me with my transition Data from end of term evaluation – fall 2009

Continued Challenges Picking a book with scholarly value and mass appeal Getting all the right stakeholders and backing Are you sure you got the message out? Are they really reading? What about students attending at the end of Orientation? Is the program worthwhile in their eyes? Ensuring all LC instructors give time and diligence to the book and topics

Questions? Julie Fisher Learning Communities @ UTSA Julie.Fisher@utsa.edu (210) 458.7509