UTSA launches President’s Initiative on Respectful Discourse

(May 1, 2019) – As UTSA cultivates a zero-tolerance environment for all forms of sexual assault and misconduct, President Taylor Eighmy today announced the President’s Initiative on Respectful Discourse. This is the final of three campus climate-related initiatives introduced this semester, together with initiatives on Preventing Sexual Assault and Misconduct and Inclusive Excellence.

Last semester, Eighmy wrote about the importance of providing students with the intellectual tools for civic engagement – an essential skill needed for the leaders of tomorrow. Over this academic year, the university has advanced word done around this topic as documented on the civic discourse website.

“This is another area where we cannot allow ourselves to be satisfied with good enough,” said Eighmy. “It’s impossible to ignore the political and ideological divides playing out in public forums and on social media, sometimes resulting in personal attacks and violent acts.”

UTSA has experienced numerous instances of student groups voicing their convictions through protests and other awareness-raising campaigns. These activities are welcome and encouraged on a university campus, but there are boundaries that must be established around student safety, legal requirements and campus policies. Sometimes, these lines become blurred or ignored during moments of confrontation between those with opposing viewpoints.

In light of UTSA’s commitment to freedom of expression, Eighmy wants to supply the entire Roadrunner community with the tools for productive dialogue rooted in compassion and integrity. The Respectful Discourse initiative will provide a framework for these efforts, building on UTSA’s core institutional value of respect as the university actively practices engaging in serious and productive exchanges of views.

The initiative will be led by a steering committee chaired by Dean Hendrix, dean of UTSA Libraries, and include three task forces focused on curricular integration, co-curricular experiences and faculty/staff training. A collaborative link has been established between this initiative and the 21^st Century Learning Environment task group in their work to ensure healthy and inclusive classrooms.  

This summer, the initiative’s task forces will begin their work to define initial projects and metrics for success, with the early fruits of their labors rolling out this fall. The UTSA community is encourage to contact Dean Hendrix to get involved or share ideas.

“This is another example of an arena where we have the capacity to serve as a national model for other universities around the country,” said Eighmy. “I have a deep and unwavering faith in our community to excel at respectful discourse, and look forward to the strides we will make in the months ahead.”  

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