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| Common Book (n) - An innovative approach to orienting
new students to the college atmosphere, the Common Book gives each
student a reading experience in common with every other student entering
Otterbein College that year. |
Otterbein College has
established a common reading experience for new students through a gift
from an alumna, Mary Thomas ‘28. The selection of books for the common reading
experience reflects Otterbein’s resolve to add an academic component to
new student orientation and to present itself to incoming students as an
intellectual community willing to grapple with significant contemporary
issues. Since 1995, the series seeks to stimulate a year-long discussion
of an academic theme derived from common book issues by exploring
it in classes, residence halls, and co-curricular programming. This common
reading experience involves all incoming first-year students, faculty, many
staff members, and student leaders
Who gets the Common Book?
The selected book is distributed to first-year students free of charge
during orientation sessions in the summer and New Student Weekend. Faculty
and staff also receive a free copy of the book so they may prepare for
the upcoming year’s events. Program organizers encourage all faculty members
to use the book in their classes, take part in the year-long programming
related to the book, or discuss the book with first-year students in informal
ways.
The Writing Assignment
Before school starts, each student is expected to read the common book
and write an essay to present to their Integrative Studies professor during
New Student Weekend in September.
How is the Common book selected?
A committee of faculty, staff, and students
select from over fifty books each year in an effort to find a significant
contemporary work to read the next year. If you enjoy reading and are
interested in joining the committe, contact Kate Porubcansky, Co-Chair
of the Committee (614) 823-3202.
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