• Skills Development: Facilitate self and group reflection to explore the origins and influence of personal and collective values, beliefs, and attitudes while developing skills for constructive discussion, debate, dialogue, deliberation, conflict resolution, understanding, and productive disagreement.
• Exposure to Diverse-Divergent Ideas: Create or sponsor programs and activities featuring diverse, divergent, competing perspectives fostering curiosity and empathy that encourage individuals to encounter and explore experiences beyond one’s own.
• Application and Practice: Provide ample opportunities, both curricular and co-curricular, to apply, practice, and refine skills in engaging with differing viewpoints in an inclusive environment.
• Inclusive Culture: Foster a campus culture that celebrates curiosity, embraces identity and differences while also identifying commonalities and building bridges, and respecting differences within and beyond the community.

Your program qualifies for an On Discourse Program Designation if it meets the requirements of any of the three category options below.

Option A: Explore Discourse (Research and Scholarship)

Description: Programs in this category feature studies about discourse. Discourse includes debates, discussions, deliberations, and dialogues. These programs present research, scholarship, and expert writings that investigate discourses, particularly those featuring divergent perspectives. Such studies might examine conflicting narratives surrounding pressing social and disciplinary issues, explore factors that contribute to historical and contemporary political and cultural divides, investigate strategies to solve political divides or delineate the boundaries of free speech.

Program Examples (not exhaustive):

• Annual Lectures or Scholarly Presentations: a scholar or intellectual presenting on any aspect of the category description.
• Art exhibit: documenting compelling visual narratives around a conflict and its resolution.
• Documentary screening: screening of a documentary addressing divergent perspectives on a pressing issue, followed by comments and a question-and-answer session led by one or more experts on the subject matter. Option B: Model Discourse (Panel Discussions)

Option B: Model Discourse: (Facilitated Panel Discussions with Diverse Perspectives)

Description: Programs in this category serve as examples of constructive discourse by featuring a panel of at least two individuals with diverse or divergent perspectives on a pressing social or disciplinary issue, (2) a moderator or facilitator, and (3) an audience engagement with opportunities for question and answer.

Program Examples: (not exhaustive)

• Panel discussions facilitated conversations among scholars, policymakers, or journalists with differing views on timely, pressing, or controversial topics.
• Community forums or town halls in which faculty, staff, or student-led debates and dialogues address pressing campus, national, or global issues.
• Mock Trials Events simulated court proceedings that engage participants in legal debate and analysis.
• Political debates featuring candidates alongside students and faculty from diverse political affiliations.
• Campus discussions of a book(s) related to the category description.

Option C: Practice and Apply (Skills Development)

Description: These programs are designed to strengthen community members’ ability to engage constructively in discussions, debates, dialogues, and deliberations within interpersonal, team, organizational, or departmental settings, especially where diverse or divergent views may lead to disagreement. It also includes any professional development or student peer workshops and training sessions designed to enhance skills that include those listed below.

Examples of Skill Areas (not exhaustive)   

• Resolving conflict
• Empathetic listening
• Active listening
• Debate
• Mediation
• Facilitation
• Dialogue
• Community and relationship-building
• Emotional regulation

Option D: On Discourse Teach-In: Program Overview & Guidance

• Audience Arrangement: This format works best when participants are seated at roundtables to facilitate discussion and peer engagement.
• Expert Framing (20–30 minutes): A faculty member or subject-matter expert provides a well-grounded overview of the topic, introducing key questions, relevant historical or social context, and a range of legitimate perspectives. The goal is to deepen understanding and encourage critical thinking—not to provoke for provocation’s sake or advance a partisan viewpoint.
• Participant Engagement/Guided Discussion (20–30 minutes): Following the presentation, participants engage in small-group discussions using guiding questions designed to promote understanding, curiosity, and reflection—rather than debate or persuasion.

ODI Co-Sponsorship Checklist:

An event is eligible for ODI Co-Sponsorship if all the following criteria for programs and organizers are met. Co-sponsorship grants access to ODI mini-grants, use of the ODI logo on all promotional material, and programmatic support from the ODI Co-Directors.

An event qualifies for ODI Co-Sponsorship if it aligns with one of the ODI programmatic categories listed below. For detailed explanations of each category, please refer to the Guidelines for Programming

• Category A: Explore Discourse (Research and Scholarship)
• Category B: Model Discourse (Facilitated Panel Discussions with Diverse Perspectives)
• Category C: Practice and Apply (Skills Development)

Checklist for  ODI Co-Sponsorship if the organizer:

1. Agrees to read or post the ODI Community Agreements found here in addition to the CLP Statement of Comportment, if applicable.

2. Develop a strategy to address behavior that undermines engagement or violates the ODI Community Agreements and is prepared to implement said strategy.

3. Includes ‘On Discourse’ on the publicity materials for the program.

4. Provides high-quality/website-ready photography during the event.

6. Prepare a concise summary of the program that includes the following, if applicable:

• • • Participant makeup (faculty, students, staff, community members, etc.)
    • Key highlights
    • Notable quotes from participants or speakers.

5. Post or Distribute a QR code survey and encourage participants to share feedback.

Application for Non CLP Events:

This application is intended for non-CLP events, such as trainings, workshops, or facilitated conversations that do not carry CLP credit. Events seeking CLP designation under the On Discourse initiative will be identified separately and must go through the standard CLP application process.

On Discourse Mini Grant Application On Discourse Mini Grant Application

The On Discourse Initiative (ODI) mini-grants up to $1,000, support students, faculty, and staff sponsoring co-curricular activities aligned with ODI’s programmatic goals and specific requirements. Among other costs, these funds may be used to supplement:

• Honoraria and travel
• Promotional materials
• Event logistics
• Refreshments
• Workshops and training
• Materials and resources
• Event documentation