Chancellor's Reading Club

About the Reading Club

Reading and discussion are fundamental to higher education. Reading broadens cultural horizons, introducing readers to new ways of understanding and experiencing the world. Discussion challenges readers to reflect critically, to communicate effectively, and to share their ideas with others. Reading and discussion stimulate intellectual growth, moral development, and aesthetic appreciation.

The Goals

The Chancellor’s Reading Club is a reading program for Fayetteville State University. Each year the entire FSU community will be encouraged to read and discuss a common text. The goals of the Reading Club are

• To reinforce the importance of reading,
• To stimulate conversation and debate on a common topic,
• To reinforce the idea of education as something that takes place outside as well as inside the classroom.

Pursue the Goals

The Chancellor’s Reading Club will pursue these goals through a variety of activities:

• The Freshman Seminar will incorporate the Reading Club selection as a required text. University College will develop study questions, discussion activities, and writing assignments for the Seminar.
• Other classes will be encouraged to use the Reading Club selection as appropriate.
• The Reading Club Committee will develop study questions and a schedule of activities to be posted on the Reading Club website. All members of the FSU community will have access to these resources.
• The Reading Club will work with the Chesnutt Library and with the Friends of Chesnutt Library to sponsor activities for alumni and the Fayetteville community.
• The Reading Club will work with the Fine Arts series and other FSU organizations to bring speakers and cultural events to campus. Book Club selections may be linked with annual events such as Black History Month, Women’s History Month, or the Chesnutt Festival.
• The Reading Club will sponsor Reading Circles to bring together members of the FSU community for small group discussion.
• The Reading Club will work with local bookstores, such as Barnes & Noble, to bring in speakers and to promote the reading.

The Reading Club Committee

The Reading Club Committee will consist of FSU faculty, staff, and students. The faculty members will represent each of the schools and colleges. The staff will include members of University College, Student Support Services, and Career and Advisement Services, among other units. The Student Government Association and the student Honor societies will have representatives.

Determine the Theme

The Reading Club Committee will meet each year to determine a theme for the Reading Club selection. Nominations will be solicited from the FSU community and reviewed by the Committee, which will recommend a reading to the Chancellor. Readings should be college-level but general enough to interest a wide audience. Readings should be of moderate length, modest cost, and ready availability. The Committee will make recommendations at least one semester in advance, to allow time to invite speakers, develop study questions, plan activities, and prepare the other activities designed to promote the Reading Club selection.