Just Released – From Polarization to Progress: College Presidents Join Forces

The College Presidents for Civic Preparedness initiative has just released its inaugural progress report, From Polarization to Progress: College Presidents Join Forces. This report highlights the remarkable strides college presidents have made in fostering free expression, critical inquiry, and civil discourse during an exceptionally challenging year for higher education, particularly during heightened campus polarization following the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Here are some key highlights:

• The coalition expanded from 15 to 77 members by June 30, representing 530,000 students across 30 states & D.C., in private and public institutions.
• All member institutions are offering civil discourse courses, launching new civic research and initiatives, hosting speaker series and debates, and/or organizing civic and political engagement events. Notable examples include:

Dartmouth launched the Dialogue Project to develop collaborative dialogue skills among students, faculty, and staff, which included a Middle East Dialogues series and a partnership with StoryCorps’ One Small Step program.

The University of Denver’s Spark 2024: Day of Free Expression & Pluralism featured an expert panel on free speech vs. hate speech and an interdisciplinary panel on the relationship between social justice and civil discourse.

James Madison University partnered with the Bipartisan Policy Center to host a training for incoming students to explore and celebrate free expression in academic settings.

To see what other institutions are doing, read the full report.

Looking ahead, as we enter a new academic year during such a contentious period, the coalition is committed to equipping every student with the skills, social support, and motivation necessary for civil discourse. By the end of this academic year, 20% of members will have revitalized their campuses into vibrant hubs of civil discourse, igniting a broader national civic revival.