University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

The first-year Common Reading Experience launched in 2012 with the selection of "Persepolis". Incoming first-year students were given a copy of the book at New Student Orientation and discussion groups were held during Fall Welcome. Over 100 faculty and staff members volunteered their time to lead the discussion. The Student Success Center and Center for Instructional and Professional Development invite nominations from the campus community for the 2013-14 Common Read. Nominations can be submitted at http://www4.uwm.edu/ssc/fyss/booksuggestion.cfm. For full consideration for 2013-14, please submit titles by November 1, 2012. The Common Read will be selected by a committee of faculty, staff and students, chaired by Mary Mullen, Deputy Director of the Center for 21st Century Studies.

The goals of the Common Reading Experience are:

1. To spark conversation about important issues of intellectual, social, and moral significance.
2. To connect first-year students with faculty members from multiple disciplines around the university.
3. To build community among new students through intellectually-stimulating discussion. 

The ideal selection should have the following qualities:

1. Be readable, relevant, engaging, and well-written
2. Appeal to people with diverse backgrounds and experiences
3. Encompass sufficient depth and scope to generate discussions from different points of view
4. Be conducive to teaching and learning, and offer opportunities for integration into academic programs
5. Lend itself to a variety of activities and programming

The ideal book might also have a subject or author with a Wisconsin connection, an author who may be able to visit campus, or a topic that has cross-disciplinary appeal. 

If you have any questions about the Common Read Experience program, please visit commonread.uwm.edu or contact Ericca Rolland, Director of the Student Success Center, at pollacke@uwm.edu or 414-229-6760.