CSUSM Common Read

The goal of the Common Read is to create a truly shared experience for first year students, by exposing them to new ideas via a theme with associated books and other materials.

Have a recommendation you'd like to share for consideration as the next common read? Please fill out this form or email: commonread@csusm.edu.

Goals

Intellectual engagement

• Student academic transition to college
• Co-curricular programs bridging academic and student life
• Interdisciplinary integration across curriculum

Community engagement

• Campus-wide dialogue and programs around one text
• Brings together campus community and surrounding communities
• Fosters civility by exploring different views and experiences

How is the Common Read selected?

Criteria for theme selection

• Breadth and interdisciplinarity

• Possibilities for inclusion among various departments, especially first year courses

• Variety of options for programming

• Variety of options for collaboration

Criteria for materials selection

• Appropriateness for CSUSM’s first year students 

  • Exposure to new and diverse ideas

  • Accessible to a broad audience

  • Inclusion in high school curriculum

• Ability to understand without a course to contextualize it

• Provides exposure to a variety of materials, viewpoints, authors, etc. 

• Provides opportunities for representation of CSUSM students

• For a book, 400 pages or less

• Consideration of past book selections

History

CSUSM started its Common Read program in 2011 when it partnered with local colleges to bring author Rebecca Skloot to San Diego County. This I Believe marked the beginning of CSUSM’s own Common Read.

2011-12 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

2012-13 Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

2013-14 This I Believe edited by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman

2014-15 The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore

2015-16 I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb

2016-17 Sal Si Puedes (Escape If You Can) by Peter Matthiessen

2017-18 Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates 

2018-19 The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama & Desmond Tutu

2019-20 Educated by Tara Westover

2020-22 They Called us Enemy by George Takei

Campus Common Read Committee

The Campus Common Read Committee (CCRC) strives to represent the campus community at large, and they embody the spirit of harnessing individual efforts towards a collective goal: to engage our community in impactful, dynamic, and educational readings and events. They work closely with campus stakeholders to suggest new campus reads and support new and existing common read-related events to engage the campus community. CCRC members plan, execute, and assess common read programming as identified and agreed upon by the group.

CCRC Membership

• Co-Chairs: 
  • Academic Transitions Librarian
  • Engagement & Inclusion Librarian
• Standing members: 
  • Library Outreach Staff
  • Faculty Center
  • First Year Programs Faculty
  • GEW Faculty