At the kickoff of A World of Difference Book Club Forum, about 15 people gathered around tables in an Arnold Hall conference room, packing their lunches, copies of James W. Loewen’s book “Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your History Textbook Got Wrong” and lots of ideas to share.

“I’m really excited because this is going to be the beginning of something that I think will be really big on campus,” said Terryl Ross, director of Oregon State University’s Office of Community and Diversity.

As facilitator of the first book club meeting, Ross selected the Loewen title and generated a list of discussion questions about some of the “lies” or omissions of fact perpetuated in American society. Ross said he likes this book because it encourages critical thinking.

The book club was developed by the Office of Community and Diversity and the Committed to Diversity (C2D) Task Force. Co-sponsors include the OSU Bookstore, OSU Media Services, Technology Across the Curriculum and the Valley Library.

“We believe that people need to talk about diversity,” Ross said. “We believe that people need to talk with people who are different than they are.”

Ross largely credits C2D member Laurie Solum for spearheading the initiative. Solum, associate director of University Housing and Dining, said she loves to read, meet new people and have meaningful conversations, so the book club seemed like a great opportunity to combine these interests.

Solum found “Lies My Teacher Told Me” to be “thought-provoking.”

“It was really interesting, kind of mind-boggling,” she said. “When you read your history books, there’s a lot of things that aren’t in them.”

All of the books selected by the club involve aspects of diversity. OSU President Ed Ray chose the club’s November title and will lead discussions on “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” by Beverly Tatum.

“That’s pretty amazing that the president of a major research university cares enough about diversity to pick a book about it and facilitate discussion,” Ross said.

AT A GLANCE:

For more information about A World of Difference Book Club Forum, see http://awod.cmc.oregonstate.edu or contact Laurie Solum at 737-8864 or laurie.solum@oregonstate.edu

For those unable to attend the lunchtime forums, recordings of club meetings and lists of discussion questions are posted online.

Other scheduled forums, facilitators and books include:

• Nov. 7 from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Valley Library Rotunda — OSU President Ed Ray, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” by Beverly Tatum

• Dec. 6 — Mark Lusk, OSU International Programs, “The Kite Runner”

• Jan. 24 — Tom Scheuerman, University Housing and Dining, “Race Matters”

• Feb. 16 — Terryl Ross, OSU’s •ffice of Community and Diversity, “Class Matters”

• March 7 — Deb Burke, OSU’s Service Learning Center, “Rage of a Privileged Class”

• April — Authors of “Girls Rock! Fifty Years of Women Making Music”

Reporter Mary Ann Albright covers higher education. She can be reached at maryann.albright@lee.net or 758-9518.