Each summer, freshmen are encouraged to read a designated book that helps them to connect with the university as well as with other freshmen.
"Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich was chosen as the university's 2003-2004 freshman common reader.
The best-selling book surveys the life of people attempting to survive on minimum wage in today's capitalistic society.
"The freshman common reader was instilled as a result of recognizing that we have a large academic community with new members coming in each year," said Paul Ranieri, interim associate dean of the College of Sciences and Humanities. "We would like to have a program that helps freshmen to feel welcome into the community."
The book is assigned during summer orientation for freshmen.
A Web site was created by Ball State where students can discuss their ideas online. Freshmen are also encouraged to attend an August 24 meeting during convocation to review the book.
"The reader helps freshmen to be introduced to the new ideas of the students and the new ideas of the university," Ranieri said.
Ranieri teaches English 103 and said the book helps freshmen to connect with each other. "When I teach a class we have something to talk about more than just the roster and the syllabus," Ranieri said.
"I remember the first year we used the reader, some of the faculty was pretty skeptical. One colleague in particular was very sketchy but ended up being amazed at how interested his students were," Ranieri said.
The freshman common readers are chosen through an eight-member committee made up of volunteer faculty and residence life staff. A student panel provides feedback on books under consideration.
Eight titles were selected from more than 70 suggestions including "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom, "Making the Most of College" by Richard Light, "Life on the Color Line" by Gregory Williams, "Race Matters" by Cornell West, "Eco-Economy: Building a New Economy for the Environmental Age" by Lester R. Brown and "Thinking in Pictures" by Temple Grandin.
"There are multiple guidelines to the selection of our books. We really like to have the author available to come to campus and speak. Last year we had the author come to about two or three of the English classes," said Ranieri.
Other selection guidelines include the ability of the book's topic to apply to many disciplines and the ability of the book to stimulate discussion among a large group of people.
The Policy Center on the First Year of College, a national research center, recognized Ball State, along with 13 other universities, as an "Institution of Excellence in the First College Year."
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