The requirement of in-coming freshman LAS students to read a book has been a recent addition to the Liberal Arts Seminar program.

It has only been in effect for two or three years, but it seems students have not been responding well to the change as a high number did not read the book, or some didn’t read the book willingly.

The new book wasn’t changed because of the lack of effort by incoming freshman, but the LAS program changed it because it’s required to every year by the Lilly Initiative.

We hope it will spark an interest in students to pick up the book and read it – willingly.

We understand the program is in place as a means of having all Simpson freshmen start out on the same page.

The book gives students a common theme or topic to discuss with professors as they get to know each other and begin to find their place within the Simpson community.

We feel it’s important to have something in place which allows students to become acclimated, not only to college life, but to the beginning of something new and, in many cases, a fresh start in unfamiliar territory.

Perhaps if the required reading of a book doesn’t work, a new program can be implemented, such as students and professors sharing in a community service project.

But for now, we hope students will understand the importance of the LAS class and will want to kick off their first semester by kicking back with a good book.