School of Civic Life and Leadership students are practicing what higher-ed reformers preach

James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal ^ | April 24, 2025 | Jenna A. Robinson

[karpov]

Earlier this month, I got the chance to be a student again for just one morning. It was an opportunity offered to all members of the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Visitors, and I jumped at the chance to go back to campus to observe two classes. Among the options were two courses in the new School of Civic Life and Leadership.

My first class of the day was “Practice of Civic Life and Leadership,” taught by Professor John Rose, which the course catalog thus describes:

This course focuses on the ideas and practices necessary to analyze arguments and disagree in a productive and compassionate way, especially at a time of deep polarization in American culture. Students in this course will debate five contentious, contemporary topics to practice researching multiple sides of an issue significant to civil society, engaging in oral and written argument, and developing criteria by which to evaluate argument, evidence, and debate performance.

Two other BOV members also attended the class. We were all notified ahead of time that the day’s discussion and readings were on the topic of abortion. As I entered the class, I wondered whether, in this age of self-censorship and cancel culture, students would be willing to speak up on such a controversial topic.

The students exceeded my expectations. They were willing to share their own positions, admit when they weren’t sure of things, and disagree without rancor. How is this possible? In part, the answer is that students had chosen to be in a course that openly advertised that it would tackle hard topics; they were up for the challenge.

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TOPICS: Education
KEYWORDS: college

[spankalib]

This course focuses on the ideas and practices necessary to analyze arguments and disagree in a productive and compassionate way, especially at a time of deep polarization in American culture.

Kudos to them for attempting to pull this off!

I'm glad the author gave props to the teachers who, apparently, were able to guide the effort successfully.

It's a RARE thing in today's academia, that's for sure!

[spankalib]

As an aside, I'm recently interested in a book that examines "how we got here". I very much enjoyed reading the excellent reviews on Amazon:

"The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self:
Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution"
Carl R. Trueman

(lots of really smart people out there - and they're paying attention!)