 Campus Compact, an NCDD member organization, offers an invaluable resource with its “Better Discourse: A Guide for Bridging Campus Divides in Challenging Times.” As campuses face increased polarization and tension, this guide provides practical, reflective strategies for fostering productive dialogue. With its focus on relationship-building and leveraging existing assets, it serves as an essential tool for campus leaders in 2025. The guide includes contributions from NCDD members, Sara Drury and Lisa-Marie Napoli, among others. Read more in the blog post below. As we move deeper into 2025, our NCDD community continues to witness the challenges of fostering productive dialogue across differences. That's why we're excited to highlight the important work of our Friend organization, Campus Compact, and their "Better Discourse: A Guide for Bridging Campus Divides in Challenging Times" – a resource that remains vitally relevant in today's campus environment. Who is Campus Compact?For those unfamiliar with their work, Campus Compact is a coalition of colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. For over four decades, they've supported institutions in fulfilling their civic mission by developing students' citizenship skills, forging community partnerships, and building campus infrastructures that facilitate engagement. Their approach emphasizes that higher education institutions aren't just centers for academic learning—they're vital spaces where future citizens develop the skills needed to participate effectively in our democracy, including the ability to engage across difference. Meeting 2025's Challenges with "Better Discourse"Following the polarizing events of the 2024 election cycle and ongoing tensions across campuses nationwide, higher education continues to grapple with encampments, protests, and free speech controversies that highlight breakdowns in dialogue across differences. Rather than viewing these challenges as insurmountable, Campus Compact's guide provides practical, thoughtful approaches for fostering better discourse in this new year. Developed with support from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the "Better Discourse" guide serves as a crucial resource for campus leaders seeking to build bridges during these uncertain times. The guide defines better discourse as "Respectful, informed, and purposeful conversation across lines of difference. By engaging in this kind of dialogue, people discuss various viewpoints with the intent to learn, understand, and, sometimes, collectively decide." A Reflective, Asset-Based Approach for Today's ChallengesWhat makes this guide particularly valuable for 2025's higher education landscape is its reflective inquiry approach. Instead of prescribing one-size-fits-all solutions, it begins by inviting campus leaders to ask themselves fundamental questions relevant to today's context:
Sara Drury, one of the contributors to the guide, notes that "Getting civil discourse offerings in place isn't terribly challenging, but doing so at scale is a challenge. And we know that one-off programs aren't going to have a profound impact." This recognition of the need for sustainable, scalable approaches resonates deeply with NCDD's own understanding of dialogue work, especially as we face the continuing challenges of 2025. The NCDD-Campus Compact ConnectionThe synergy between Campus Compact's mission and NCDD's goals is clear. Both organizations recognize dialogue and deliberation as essential practices for a healthy democracy. Both are committed to building capacity for productive engagement across differences. And both understand that this work requires intention, skill development, and supportive structures—needs that have only intensified in the current climate. We're particularly pleased to see NCDD mentioned in the guide as a resource for campus leaders seeking to understand different streams of dialogue and deliberation practice. This cross-pollination of resources strengthens our collective impact at a time when our work is more crucial than ever. Looking Forward Together in 2025As we navigate what has already proven to be another challenging year, resources like "Better Discourse" remind us that we have the tools, expertise, and communities of practice needed to create more productive engagement across differences. You can access the full guide and related resources on Campus Compact's website. We encourage our NCDD community to explore Campus Compact's guide and consider how its approaches might inform your own work in 2025, whether on campuses or in other settings. The guide's emphasis on reflection, relationship-building, and leveraging existing assets offers wisdom applicable far beyond higher education.
How are you working to foster better discourse in your contexts this year? We'd love to hear your reflections and experiences in the comments below.
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NCDD is a community and coalition of individuals and organizations who bring people together to discuss, decide and collaborate on today's toughest issues.
© The National Coalition For Dialogue And Deliberation, Inc. All rights reserved.
© The National Coalition For Dialogue And Deliberation, Inc. All rights reserved.