Dear Faculty, Staff, Students, Alumni, and Friends of the University:

I write to announce a new program for UConn, intended to draw us together as a vibrant intellectual community based on conversation, argument, and respect. As you know, a university like ours is generally decentralized and people are busy. But we share so much—pride in our campuses, ambition in our work, and most of all, a love of learning and debate. We talk about ideas constantly at UConn across disciplines and departments, no matter our role. But I have found that it is possible, and inspiring, to act as a giant intellectual community as well. We can, despite our size, feel our power as a cohesive educational institution that talks and learns together.

To this end, I have asked Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Sally Reis to lead a new annual initiative we have named UConn Reads. UConn Reads is a program where a diverse committee, led by Dr. Reis, takes nominations for a single campus book that we all read, discuss, and debate. In September, I will write again with the committee composition and a deadline for nominations to the committee for consideration. The committee will announce our campus book before the Thanksgiving holiday, and we hope that—through the winter months—you will all read the book, which will be widely available. Spring will be devoted to discussion groups for faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of the campus. UConn Reads will culminate with a major address by the author. We could, of course, choose a book whose author is deceased! In that case, we will stage a program with experts on the book topic, to serve as a capstone for many months of conversation.

This project is not only a celebration of who we are as an institution. It is also a provocation, meant to develop the constructive “culture of argument” so sorely missing in America today. We in higher education must lead the nation to a more intelligent, productive, and interesting public conversation—from economics and politics to ethics and social life. A campus is a fellowship of discovery and debate, of “pushing the envelope,” and challenging each other. UConn Reads is one way to pursue and broadcast our vision to the world, as a model society, where we truly do care what others think and even change our minds through time spent together.

I look forward to a winter and spring of conversation and learning from this tremendously talented community I am honored to be part of.

All the best for a restful last gasp of summer—and please start pondering a book nomination for UConn Reads!

Susan Herbst
President, University of Connecticut