Reading program misses expectations

Despite the Univeristy administration's predictions that the second annual Freshman Reading Program would be successful, recent feedback from participants and coordinators indicate the program did not meet expectations. Following last year's successful Bacchae project entering freshmen were asked to read The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and to attend New Student Orientation Week discussion sessions. During last year's program over 80 percent of students surveyed by the University reported that they read that year's recommended work, The Bacchae. And although the University has not released any official statistics indicating how many students read the narrative, it appears from several reports that few students attended the discussion sessions and of those who did few had read the work. 2300 freshmen were expected to attend the program. College officials who coordinated the program and faculty members who volunteered hours over the summer to plan their discussion groups said last week that they are upset with the student's poor participation in the program. Many freshmen said this week that they did not read the book and did not attend their sessions. College freshman Caroline Tiger said that 8 people -- less than half -- attended her session. "I read it because I thought it was required," she said. "A lot of my friends ended up not reading it, though." While Tiger said she was glad she read the narrative which she described as easy-reading, other students were not so positive. Another College freshman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that many of her friends read the book because they thought they were required to. She said freshmen are intimidated by the College. "[I didn't read it since] I don't like to read and it wasn't mandatory," she said. College freshman Katie Zivkovic, said that she meant to read the narrative but could not find the time. She said she would have read it if it had been mandatory. "I think it would have been worse if it was mandatory just because if you don't read it because you're willing to . . . you really don't care about it," she added. Several resident advisors who were responsible for encouraging their freshmen to attend the discussion sessions declined to comment on the program. But one resident advisor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that only about 4 or 5 out of his 30 advisees attended the program after he "strongly requested" that they go. "[I was not surprised] because I gave the same recommendation to them about Diversity Day and they didn't like that so my credibility was shot," he said. Tomas Leal, the director of first year programs in the Quadrangle, was not available for comment.

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