GAINESVILLE, Fla., July 12 (UPI) -- The University of Florida has come up with a summer reading program on racial issues for faculty members, not just for students, this year.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Monday that President Bernie Machen has asked the more than 4,000 faculty members to read a book on race by psychlogist Beverly Daniel Tatum.
The 1997 book is, "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race."
The Gainesville, Fla., university said it believes it is the first time a summer reading program has focused on faculty members instead of just students.
"We were trying to think of a way to link faculty to discussing issues of diversity, race and curriculum," said Katheryn Russell-Brown, head of the Center for the Study of Race and Race Relations.
She said she believes the book could "create some inroads" in that direction.
"Talking about race is not easy," she said. "Here we have a framework for discussion."
