A New Roadmap for Campus Dialogue: The Five Pillars Framework

As colleges and universities confront declining public trust, rising polarization, and increased government scrutiny, campuses have an urgent opportunity to reaffirm their role as champions of constructive dialogue and democratic values.

The Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI) has spent years studying what works, drawing on rigorous research, program evaluation data, and lessons from partnerships with more than 150 campuses across the country. From this work, CDI’s research team has identified the essential factors that create a campus culture in which dialogue across differences can thrive. The Five Pillars of a Culture of Inquiry and Dialogue provides a practical framework for institutional leaders to drive durable change across their institutions.

In this session, CDI will introduce the framework, and university leaders will share how they’ve applied its insights within their roles and across their institutions and systems.

What You'll Discover

In this session, CDI and campus leaders will share:

• A research-grounded framework for fostering a campus culture of inquiry and dialogue, drawn from the research literature and results from more than 150 campus partnerships.

• Clear strategies for how presidents, trustees, and senior leaders can advance dialogue through leadership commitment, curriculum & pedagogy, and the co-curricular experience.

• Practical insights from campus leaders who are implementing these strategic pillars, including successes, challenges, and lessons for other institutions.

Expert Panel

Moderator: Caroline Mehl, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Constructive Dialogue Institute

Featuring:

• Rachel Stephenson, Chief Transformation Officer, City University of New York

• Jeremy Haefner, Chancellor, University of Denver