Dec. 11, 2003

TO:  Members of the Faculty and Administration, and Freshman Seminar Leaders
FROM: The Freshman Text Selection Committee
SUBJECT: Text Selection Process
________________________________________________________________

The Freshman Text Selection Committee is asking for suggestions for the 2004-05
freshman text. This book, which will be assigned to all first-year students, is meant to
aid in the transition from high school to college, and to encourage the development
of an intellectual community.

The most enthusiastically received freshman text to date is Eric Schlosser’s Fast
Food Nation, the 2001-02 assignment. Other books that have been selected are
Philip Gourevitch’s We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With
Our Families (2000-01), Colson Whitehead’s John Henry Days (2002-03), and Yann
Martel’s Life of Pi (2003-04).

The administration has asked the committee to consider books that are relevant to a
variety of academic disciplines. Our hope is that faculty will assign the selected book
as a supplemental reading in any number of freshman courses. The committee is
open to any book that you think students will be eager to read and discuss. We are
currently giving serious consideration to the following titles:

Ehrenreich, Barbara, Nicked and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America
Eire, Carlos, Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy
Kidder, Tracy, Mountains Beyond Mountains: Healing the World
McGruder, Aaron, A Right to be Hostile: The “Boondocks” Treasury

If you would like to recommend a book for consideration, please e-mail Mark
Spergel ([log in to unmask]) by Jan. 25, 2004. The committee will
meet to determine a shortlist of titles by Jan. 27 and will announce its final selection
in March.

Our thanks,
The Freshman Text Selection Committee


Elizabeth L. Wollman (Music), chair
Roslyn Bernstein (English)
Gerald DeMaio (Sociology)
Judith Entes (English)
Ken Guest (Anthropology)
Ted Joyce (Economics)
Norman Kleinberg (Economics)
Eric Krebs (Theater)
Glenn Petersen (Sociology/Anthropology)
Mark Spergel (Communication Studies)