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Creating forums for civil dialogue

Monday, September 16, 2024
Inside Higher Ed

National surveys have highlighted a need for additional guidance and education for college students regarding constructive dialogue and sharing their perspectives on tough questions. In the most recent Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression free speech survey, 17 percent of students said that, at least a couple of times a week, they feel like they cannot express their opinion on a subject because of how other campus community members would respond. An August survey of American college students fielded by North Dakota State University found 30 percent of students are not comfortable talking about controversial topics in class, and a 2023 study from the Constructive Dialogue Institute found 45 percent of students are afraid to express their opinions out of fear of offending their peers. One of the challenges for higher education leaders is creating intentional spaces to teach and deliver information on civil discourse. 

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