1. 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

2. 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

3. A Glimpse @ Learning Communities
A 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 )
Historically commuter campus quickly evolving into a residential campus
A 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

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

5. 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

6. The Summer Common Reading Process

7. 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, 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.

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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

11. Step 4: Marketing Get the word out!
Orientations – before, during, and after
New student materials/flyers/banners
Advisors, faculty, staff, student leaders
/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.

12. 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
Non-LC Students:
Leave Orientation with information
Follow up
Direct to website for further information
Campus-wide
Single page informational, book synopsis, and author bio
Direct to website

13. 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?

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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.

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. Questions? Julie Fisher Learning Communities @ UTSA
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