New programs at UTSA to help students engage in meaningful conversation

AUGUST 27, 2024 — As part of its ongoing commitment to free speech and civil discourse, UTSA is implementing new strategies to further create an environment where constructive and meaningful dialogue can thrive despite differing viewpoints.

The university is increasing its efforts to educate students about respectful discourse through multiple programs, workshops and courses, helping them engage in difficult conversations with mutual respect and curiosity.

Led by the UTSA Honors College, the campus-wide free speech and civil discourse initiative will create an environment where students and faculty can productively exchange views and appreciate differences while seeking common ground. Developing a campus culture that is built on respect for others enhances the college experience for all Roadrunners and cultivates a more accepting and open-minded environment that supports each student’s sense of belonging and well-being.

“Universities are a unique space where we should be able to come together and talk about our community’s most pressing challenges.”

The civil discourse programming will also enable students to explore important skills such as communication, teamwork, conflict resolution, critical thinking and problem solving, which will prepare them for success in their academic, professional and personal lives.

“Universities are a unique space where we should be able to come together and talk about our community’s most pressing challenges. However, given the contentious political climate, these conversations do not always come easily for students,” said Gina Amatangelo, associate dean for strategic initiatives in the Honors College and associate professor of practice in public administration. “UTSA’s focus on capacity-building for civil discourse is timely and essential.”

The roadmap that UTSA crafted for the initiative outlines this capacity-building for students, faculty, staff and the community.

This fall, students will have opportunities to engage in workshops and events about free speech on college campuses, managing difficult conversations, leadership and civic issues. There will also be dedicated courses on these topics offered in the Honors College, the UTSA College for Health, Community and Policy (HCAP), and the UTSA College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA).

For faculty, UTSA Academic Innovation will debut its Civil Discourse Faculty Learning Community in late September. Faculty participants will learn proven practices to help foster respectful dialogue in their courses and will develop and implement their own teaching strategies to encourage civil debate and discussion in their classrooms.

UTSA will also offer a series of Democracy Dialogues where students will discuss the importance of democracy leading up to the U.S. presidential election in November.

This fall’s programming builds on the success of the initiative’s pilot phase during the Spring and Summer 2024 semesters. Earlier this year, the Honors College collaborated with campus partners to introduce several workshops, course offerings and experiential learning opportunities for students and faculty about respectful discourse, leadership, resilience and mental well-being.

UTSA also launched the COLFA Center for Dialogue and Deliberation this year. Sara DeTurk and Laurie Lewis, both co-directors of the new center and faculty members in the COLFA Department of Communication, are training student dialogue facilitators to lead constructive conversations on campus and in the community. Over 50 students have been trained so far.

“Students are increasingly reticent to engage with controversial issues due to a fear of offending others, appearing ignorant, or being ‘cancelled’. However, I find that students also long for opportunities to exchange views on these important topics and respond well to dialogue that is structured by ground rules and skilled facilitation,” said DeTurk. “The Center for Dialogue and Deliberation provides this structure and allows students to engage in and facilitate dialogues on controversial issues.”

The university’s commitment to promoting respectful discourse reached a global scale with the launch of the Corrymeela fellowship, which sent three UTSA students to Northern Ireland's Peace & Reconciliation Centre to participate in the Nurturing Hope Summer Learning Journey. The transformative opportunity was the result of partnerships with the UTSA President’s Office, UTSA Academic Affairs, the Honors College, COLFA and the Rotary Club of San Antonio.

During the 10-day program, the three Roadrunners collaborated with students from around the world. They learned about peacemaking, reconciliation, conflict resolution and community building, all vital skills that will serve them throughout college, their careers and their everyday lives.

“What these international trips provide for students is something that cannot be gained through any other means: perspective,” said Garrett Rouse, a UTSA graduate student studying history who participated in the program. “Working with others from across the globe really drove home the point that we all are much more similar than we are different.”

Looking ahead, UTSA will incorporate aspects of the Corrymeela curriculum to create Nurturing Hope San Antonio, a city-wide initiative with Trinity University, the Alamo Colleges, the Rotary Club of San Antonio and the H.E. Butt Foundation. The program will bring together students, nonprofit organizations and San Antonio residents to host a series of community conversations and events.

With students finding their voices in meaningful discussions and faculty embracing new techniques for fostering understanding, the effects of these efforts will ripple through UTSA and beyond as the university helps lead the way in an increasingly polarized world.

— Debra Del Toro and Chloe Johnson