ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge’s Post

6 ways to foster political discourse on college campuses
Political discussions on campus can be a lot more productive if the right expectations are set. https://lnkd.in/gVGyS88J

Are your state’s politics costing you enrollment? We surveyed 1,000+ high school juniors and seniors to get their thoughts on how the political landscape of an institution or its state might affect their desire to enroll. Our results were informative and surprising. We gathered them all in a research report, Politics and College Choice: How Students’ Political Views Influence Where They Enroll. We think you might find it interesting—download the 51 page report at https://lnkd.in/eZEXa2ke

"Is this conservative or liberal campus?" "Is this a red or blue campus?" "How liberal is it?" Echo Delta's enrollment campus visit consulting team hear these and similar tone questions asked frequently by parents when we're on campus visits at client campuses. We've polarized much in our country's current divided season and the college choice, too. What do today's college bound students think? Download this report and find out. #echodelta #politicsandcollegechoice #redorblue #dividedcountry

I'm thrilled to announce the release of our latest research: The Politics of College Choice: How Students' Political Views Influence Where They Enroll. In this nation-wide study of college-bound high school juniors and seniors, we explore: -Students' political affiliations -The specific ways they believe college and state politics could impact their college experience -How students gauge the political climate of a state and college -The extent to which parents' political views impact college choice -How students feel about free speech and campus neutrality on divisive issues -Steps colleges can take to reassure apprehensive students A very special thanks to my brilliant research partner and co-author, Grant De Roo, who crafted our study and uncovered so many unique insights; the wildly talented Emelie P., Jenna MacFarlane, and Rachel Lee Newell, who turned our sticky notes and slides into something both beautiful and useful; Dion Spires, PMP, who made sure we delivered on time; and Jeff Kallay, who provided the inspiration for this topic. 🔗 in comments

Do divisive state politics turn off prospective students? You bet they do. But how much varies DRASTICALLY by state. The map below shows which states concern students the most, based on their political affiliations. Not surprisingly, conservative students are concerned about CA and NY. Liberal students are concerned about many southern states. What this map doesn't show is just how drastically the number of students expressing concerns varies from one state to the next. Top of the list? Texas. A full 50% of liberal students are concerned about attending college in the Lone Star state. But that's not all. So are 17% of moderate students and 9% of conservative students. Grab a copy of our latest research report, The Politics of College Choice, here: https://lnkd.in/gbPZkubA

🚨What happens when students with extreme political views feel more comfortable speaking up than moderate students? Our new survey of 1,548 Canadian respondents revealed some topics students with strong political orientations are likely to out-talk moderate classmates on. These results pose a problem: research links extreme political orientation to cognitive inflexibility, overconfidence, and ideological bias. 🧑🎓 Students with strong political orientations are more likely to turn classroom discussions into echo chambers. #AcademicFreedom #EducationReform #Newsupdates #Selfcensorship #Academicnews #CanadianNews

In a heated higher education environment due to polarization and balancing academic freedom, inclusion, and freedom of speech, Danielle Allen gives practical advice for enhancing understanding and fostering intellectual debate in college campuses as well as for resolving conflict and steering collective organizations and workplaces into a common vision. 1. The purpose of an academic institution is to promote free inquiry Finding the best argument on any given question, hearing all different perspectives on different sides. Ensuring no partisan views take up more time. 2. Conflict resolution at college campuses and at the workplace The end is not to rectify past wrongs, but to move forward for greater understanding. Accusation is not a path to collaboration. What and how questions engage. Why questions - why are you saying this, why are you doing this - yield defensive reactions. 3. Before replying, you have to understand what you just heard. Students in Allen's class address each other by name and they have to repeat back what they heard from a classmate. You can't respond unless you have understood, and confirmed it, correctly. Unsurprisingly, most of the time people haven't understood each other correctly. 4. Socratic questions provide explanatory depth. It usually allows for people to self-correct. The right kind of question results in an articulation that allows to see flaws in an argument (or shallow or wrong understanding). 5. Vivid vision to connect abstract answers to personal experiences How to communicate abstract thinking to an audience: use mental time travel. Your vision was implemented successfully - how does the world look different? Or a quick story or anecdote that will illustrate what it would look like.

Ensuring that campuses remain forums for both activism and scholarship is no easy task, especially in today’s polarized climate and in the glare of constant media scrutiny Institute for Citizens & Scholars president Rajiv Vinnakota identifies five key recommendations to help college leaders advance free inquiry even in moments of unrest that will likely occur on campuses this fall: 1. Set conduct rules, enforce them consistently and explain them constantly. 2. Masks off. 3. Keep outsiders outside. 4. Distinguish between violence and civil disobedience. 5. Listen to students with an open mind. Engage in good faith and require the same. Read the full article for more!

The political climate of a college and its state is a consideration for 3 out of 4 prospective students. But how does politics compare to other key factors like cost and reputation? It turns out, political considerations make up about one-fifth of a student's college choice. That percentage doesn't vary much based on political leanings, race/ethnicity, or household income, although it does vary quite a bit based on students' level of political activity. (More active = more emphasis). Check out more of our findings in our latest report, Politics and College Choice: How Student's Political Views Influence Where They Enroll. Link in comments.