1/31/2018 First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 - PDF document

1/31/2018 First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 About us KingstonUniversity London University of Mississippi Hands Across the Sea: UK/USA Collaboration on Common • Research and • Doctoral Institution (R1) Teaching University • 24,000 students at 6 Reading Programs • 17,500 students at 5 campuses campuses • 21,000 students at main • 2,900 non-UK students campus in Oxford Kingston University London • 53% of students are • 60% of students are from @kubigread @alisonbav @morwentodd minorities Mississippi • 8,500 new students • 23% of students are annually minorities The University of Mississippi • 5,000 new students annually umreads.olemiss.edu First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 Why this Presentation Matters Pre-arrival shared-reading is well established in the U.S., not so in the U.K. What can two programs 5,000 miles apart • Pre-arrival shared-reading long-established in the US, growing in UK learn from each other? • International concern over literacy rates • Students arrive to read for a degree; books as gifts are appropriate BUT 1. Research gap; widespread practice more described than analysed 2. How to assess? 3. Where is the value added? 4. What is the book’s role in outreach and marketing? First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 Literature Review  In 2013/14, US was 21 st and England was 23 rd out of 23 OECD • Widespread research into the benefits of reading for pleasure ; Nations for Teenage readers are healthier, happier, safer, more empathetic, more Literacy. successful (The Reading Agency and BOP Consulting, 2015) • ‘ Common reading programs of all types are helping bridge divides on campus: between disciplines, between student life and academic  England is the only affairs, between the orientation period and the first semester.’ OECD nation where (Ferguson, 2006) literacy for 16-24 year olds is lower than • ‘...discussion and respect for diverse viewpoints.’ (Laufgraben, 2006) 55-65 year olds • Fun; drawing people into their new community (R. Mark Hall, 2003) • An effective welcome mitigates the tendency to ‘sort into islands of comfortable consensus’ (Tienda, 2013) • Kingston’s work on welcome and retention (Hughes, 2016) Source: OECD Report Building Skills for All: A Review of England 1

1/31/2018 First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 UM Common Reading Experience – in summary The KU Big Read – in summary  Shared reading program promotes reading and  Pre-program research into reading habits/likely responses of first- discussion across campus; connects new students year arrivers with the University academic community  Book sent to all new students at Kingston University  Books distributed during new student orientations  Made available to all staff over summer where parents are encouraged to read  An associated program of discussion groups along with their students  Author visit  Books distributed to all faculty and made available to  Balloon debate to demonstrate cross-organisational relevance staff as well  Common Read embedded across curriculum,  Post-delivery circulation of questionnaires especially in writing courses and first-year seminars  Comparison with other metrics,  Resource guide provided to all instructors e.g. university stats on retention –  Author is keynote speaker at Fall Convocation although these correlate rather than show causative relationships  Expansion into the wider community First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 UK/US Similarities Common Reading Selection Process  Attempt to be inclusive of stakeholders and keep an open discussion about Kingston University Universityof Mississippi what to read  Embed into curriculum of early teaching and find a way to assess  Criteria for a KUBigRead  Solicit nominations from faculty, students, alumni, and community  Push for best pricing of selected titles  Suggestions sought members at umreads.olemiss.edu  Utilize the library in promoting the book  Algorithm applied  Book Selection Committee of faculty,  Secret cataloguing staff, students, and alumni meet  Shortlist available in libraries several times to determine a short  Selection panel made choice list that all members read before ranking titles  Committee makes a recommendation to the Common Reading Experience Committee and Provost to approve First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 UK/US Differences Utilizing the Library Kingston University University of Mississippi  UM has an established committee for events, resource guide, title selection, course  Access to meetings  Library liaisons on common embedding, and working with reading committees  Project enthusiasm the author and publisher Book-themed exhibit   Display of titles  UM purchases and distributes  Co-hosts events the books, embedding the cost  Keeps extra copies of the into summer orientation fees book  Creates LibGuide  KU mails the books to the guides.lib.olemiss.edu/cre2017 student’s home over the summer  KU makes a concentrated effort to provide more outreach into the wider community 2

1/31/2018 First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 Common Concerns Assessment 1. Project leadership within the institution • Attendance at events • Publications 2. Academic freedom • Social media traffic • Invitations to speak about 3. Getting buy-in on the book • Involvement of staff the work 4. Defining success • Embedding within modules • Surveys 5. Attendance at events and early assignments • University metrics First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 Working with Authors Working with Publishers 1. Establish timeline/calendar/delivery date(s) well 1. Speakers’ fees in advance  Play to your institution and location strengths 2. Request “courtesy” copies for selection  UM—Oxford community has #1 independent book store in U.S.— committee Square Books 3. Expect to negotiate price  Well known to authors 4. Request “custom” edition for your institution  Literary community (Faulkner) (featuring school logo, letter from president, 2. Halo effect around other titles by same author etc. 3. Authors typically reluctant to promote/speak for an “older” work; they want  You will have to provide camera-ready art to promote the most recently published book 5. Leverage use of author’s speakers’ bureau for 4. Offer book signings/campus/community book sales lower price per book cost 5. Negotiate with speakers’ bureau for author to participate in select classes, 6. Make yourself available to speak with other meet with student and faculty groups, etc. schools who are considering a book/author you 6. Review speaking contract with institution’s general counsel have previously chosen for your common read (assuming you had a good experience) 7. Offer opportunity for campus book sales and signings First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 First Year Experience Conference, Texas, February 2018 Working with the Wider Community Conclusions: What We Learned from Each Other 1. Many KU students remain in the local area after graduation  We are both doing something right 2. Placements, dissertations, and further study  Leadership role is crucial 3. Affirmation of institutional values for existing staff  Fostering cross-organisational connections 4. University PR  Raising the profile of our institutions – nationally and internationally 5. UM outreach to local talents, working with schools and libraries 3