How was 'Just Mercy' chosen
How was Just Mercy selected for One Book?
Initial planning meetings were held on 10/13/2016, 10/27/2016, and 11/10/2016. Email invitations to join the One Book planning committee were sent campus-wide prior to each of these meetings.
Scott Sandler introduced the concept of “One Book” and showed examples from other campuses and communities participating in their own One Book events. We discussed possible selection criteria, possible activities Gavilan could do to promote One Book, and made preliminary title suggestions. At the 11/10 meeting the committee settled on a process for book selection.
On 11/18 a survey went out to the campus for input on selection criteria and book suggestions; the survey closed on 11/23. Members of the committee met to review survey results and evaluate book suggestions using criteria from the survey. Of the 19 recommended titles, 7 met the criteria and were passed to the next phase of selection. Survey respondents who indicated an interest in reading/participating were asked to read as many of the suggested titles as possible and submit reviews by 1/17/17.
Committee members and reading participants submitted reviews, based on selection criteria, of the books they read. Based on those reviews, 3 of the 7 books were passed to the next phase of selection.
On 1/26/17 an email went out to the campus to review the semi-final One Book titles: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, and The Terrorist’s Son by Zak Ebrahim. On 2/27/17 a survey went out to the campus to select a final title; the survey closed on 3/2/17. Just Mercy was the clear winner, receiving 20 votes out of 40.