In 2016, the toxicity on many college campuses surrounding the presidential election caught administrators unprepared. Some students–as well as faculty and staff–pushed the boundaries of acceptable campus speech in new ways that were not always clearly delineated by existing policy or precedent. The 2020 election coincided with social distancing and, consequently, much less on-campus political activism. This combination of events leaves many campuses ill-prepared for the 2024 election.

The presidential election is a touchstone ritual of democracy that offers an opportunity to encourage students to be thoughtful, engaged citizens. The effort invested in preparing for the 2024 election can help cultivate campus environments that encourage community members to grapple with discomfort, champion freedom of thought, and foster the capacity to listen to others.

We conducted research with 21 college presidents, administrators, faculty, and staff about their 2024 election goals for their campus communities. This was in addition to an extensive secondary review of lessons learned from past elections. By collating the experiences of subject matter experts and university educators in a range of roles– faculty; staff; offices of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); civic engagement centers; and university presidents–we hope to share knowledge about what works to contain campus conflict and transform discourse.

You can download the report below.

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