How the University of New England Is Championing Constructive Discourse in Higher Education
In an era marked by increasing political polarization and social division, colleges and universities across the USA face a critical challenge: how to foster environments where diverse perspectives can be shared openly, respectfully, and productively. The University of New England (UNE) has emerged as a notable example of how higher education institutions can actively promote constructive discourse across differences—not merely as an abstract ideal, but as a lived institutional practice.
Recently, UNE recognized two members of its community for exceptional dedication to free expression, open inquiry, and civil dialogue around challenging topics. This recognition underscores a broader institutional commitment to cultivating what the university calls a robust marketplace of ideas—one where faculty, students, and staff alike are empowered to engage thoughtfully with difficult subjects.
Whether you are a prospective student evaluating campuses, an educator seeking models for your own institution, or a professional interested in how organizations can build cultures of open dialogue, UNE’s approach offers valuable insights. Let’s explore what constructive discourse looks like in practice, why it matters more than ever, and how one university is making it a priority.
Why Constructive Discourse Matters in Higher Education Today
Higher education has long been positioned as a space where ideas should be examined, challenged, and refined through rigorous debate. Yet in recent years, many institutions have struggled to maintain environments where genuinely difficult conversations can take place without devolving into hostility or avoidance.
The consequences of failing to prioritize constructive discourse are significant. Students may graduate without the critical thinking skills needed to navigate complex professional and civic challenges. Faculty may self-censor rather than explore controversial but important topics. Campus communities may fragment along ideological lines, undermining the sense of shared purpose that makes learning possible.
UNE President James Herbert addressed this directly, noting that the university works to fulfill what he calls “the fundamental role of the academy as the ultimate marketplace of ideas.” This framing is significant—it positions higher education not as a place where students should encounter only comfortable or confirming perspectives, but as an environment where the active exchange of differing viewpoints is essential to intellectual growth.
For prospective students and their families, this institutional commitment matters. Choosing a university means choosing an intellectual culture. Students who want to develop genuine critical thinking skills—the ability to evaluate evidence, consider alternative perspectives, and reach independent conclusions—benefit enormously from attending institutions that deliberately foster these capacities.
The President’s Award for Constructive Discourse: Recognition With Purpose
One concrete way the University of New England reinforces its commitment to open dialogue is through the President’s Award for Constructive Discourse. Established by President Herbert, this annual award recognizes faculty and professional staff members who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to promoting thoughtful engagement with difficult or controversial topics within the university community.
The award carries a $1,000 honorarium and is based on nominations from across the university—meaning recipients are identified by their peers and colleagues for work that genuinely impacts the campus climate. This year’s ceremony took place during UNE’s annual Fall Assembly on the Biddeford Campus in Maine, bringing the entire employee community together to celebrate these contributions.
What makes this approach noteworthy is its intentionality. Rather than treating constructive discourse as an aspirational value mentioned in mission statements, UNE has created a formal mechanism to identify, celebrate, and reward it. The signal this sends to the broader community is clear: engaging respectfully across differences is not just tolerated here—it is actively valued and professionally recognized.
In an era when many institutions struggle to articulate what healthy intellectual exchange actually looks like in practice, UNE’s award program provides a tangible model worth examining.
Teaching Students to Think Critically About Belief Formation
The faculty recipient of this year’s award, Julie Longua Peterson, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology in the School of Psychology and Brain Science within UNE’s College of Arts and Sciences. Her work offers a compelling example of how constructive discourse can be embedded directly into the curriculum.
Peterson’s teaching centers on what psychologists call the epistemology of ignorance—essentially, examining how personal blind spots limit our understanding of the world. Rather than simply presenting students with information to memorize, she challenges them to think critically about how people form beliefs, make decisions, and interpret reality.
President Herbert highlighted the timeliness of this work during such politically polarizing times. “Through her focus on the epistemology of ignorance—exploring how our personal blind spots limit our understanding—Julie helps students recognize that biases and selective perception are not just problems that affect other people, but are universal human tendencies,” Herbert noted during his remarks.
This approach has several important implications for how we think about education:
Moving Beyond Easy Explanations
One of Peterson’s key contributions is teaching students to resist what Herbert calls “easy explanations.” In practice, this means encouraging students to sit with complexity rather than rushing to simplified conclusions. Complex social, political, and scientific problems rarely have single-cause explanations. Graduates who can navigate this complexity—rather than defaulting to the most comfortable narrative—are better prepared for professional success and informed citizenship alike.
Rejecting Groupthink
Another dimension of Peterson’s teaching involves helping students recognize and resist groupthink. This psychological phenomenon, where the desire for group consensus overrides realistic evaluation of alternatives, poses significant risks in academic, professional, and civic contexts. By training students to identify when consensus is being prioritized over critical analysis, Peterson equips them with skills that extend far beyond the classroom.
Developing Independent Judgment
Perhaps most importantly, Peterson’s approach aims to develop students’ capacity for independent, thoughtful judgment. Herbert praised her for teaching students “to resist these tendencies so they can understand and discuss complex problems via critical thinking, rather than reflexively seeking easy explanations.” In a media environment saturated with pre-packaged opinions, this capacity is increasingly rare—and increasingly valuable.
For students considering programs in psychology, the social sciences, or any field requiring analytical rigor, this kind of pedagogical approach represents a meaningful differentiator. It signals a commitment to intellectual formation rather than mere information transfer.
Constructive Discourse Beyond the Classroom
While faculty members play a crucial role in shaping intellectual culture, the second award recipient demonstrates that constructive discourse is not limited to academic settings. Lauren Woodward, UNE’s manager of housekeeping, received the professional staff award for her work building an inclusive, communicative team environment.
Woodward’s position involves daily interaction with housekeeping leads and staff across both the Biddeford and Portland campuses. In recent years, she has increasingly focused on hiring, training, and managing employees who are new Mainers—immigrants and refugees building new lives in the state.
President Herbert described Woodward as a “steady, calming presence” for these valued team members, while also highlighting her willingness to engage in difficult conversations. “When Lauren engages people in conversation, she welcomes disagreement, offers feedback, and creates space for perspectives that may be unpopular or in the minority,” Herbert said. “She pushes her colleagues to examine their assumptions without making them afraid to express their viewpoints.”
This approach embodies a key principle of constructive discourse: the goal is not to avoid disagreement but to engage with it productively. Woodward, as Herbert noted, “lets people know she values them, even if their viewpoints differ from her own.”
Why Staff Contributions Matter
Recognizing a professional staff member alongside faculty sends an important message about the scope of UNE’s commitment. Constructive discourse is not solely the province of seminar rooms and lecture halls. It happens in office conversations, team meetings, break rooms, and everyday interactions across campus. By celebrating Woodward’s contributions, UNE acknowledges that building a culture of open dialogue requires participation from every member of the community.
For prospective employees considering careers in higher education, this institutional culture matters. Working at an organization that actively values respectful disagreement and inclusive dialogue can significantly shape job satisfaction and professional growth.
What Prospective Students Should Look For
UNE’s recognition program raises broader questions worth considering for anyone evaluating higher education options. How can prospective students assess whether a university genuinely supports constructive discourse, rather than merely claiming to?
Here are several indicators worth looking for:
Institutional Mechanisms
Does the university have formal programs, awards, or initiatives designed to promote open inquiry and civil dialogue? These structures signal genuine institutional commitment rather than aspirational language alone.
Curricular Integration
Look for evidence that critical thinking and perspective-taking are embedded in the curriculum—not just in dedicated courses but across disciplines. Programs that teach students to examine their own biases and engage with opposing viewpoints prepare graduates for a complex world.
Leadership Messaging
What do university leaders emphasize in public addresses? Presidents, provosts, and deans who consistently articulate the value of intellectual diversity and respectful disagreement help set the tone for the entire campus community.
Community Culture
During campus visits, pay attention to how students, faculty, and staff interact. Do people seem comfortable expressing differing opinions? Is there visible diversity of thought in campus discussions and events?
Recognition Programs
Awards like UNE’s President’s Award for Constructive Discourse demonstrate that an institution is willing to tangibly reward the behaviors it claims to value. This kind of alignment between stated values and actual incentives is a strong indicator of authentic commitment.
Building a Marketplace of Ideas
The concept of higher education as a marketplace of ideas draws on a long intellectual tradition, but its practical implementation requires ongoing effort. UNE’s approach combines several elements that work together:
First, institutional leadership that consistently articulates the value of open discourse. President Herbert’s remarks at the Fall Assembly make clear that this commitment comes from the top.
Second, formal recognition programs that reward faculty and staff who embody these values. The President’s Award for Constructive Discourse provides concrete incentives for community members to invest in this work.
Third, curricular approaches—like Peterson’s focus on epistemology and critical thinking—that equip students with the intellectual tools to engage constructively across differences.
Fourth, campus-wide practices that extend inclusive dialogue to all community members, regardless of role. Woodward’s recognition demonstrates that these values apply in operational settings as much as academic ones.
Together, these elements create a reinforcing cycle. Faculty trained in fostering productive disagreement produce students better prepared to engage thoughtfully. Staff who model inclusive communication contribute to a campus climate where dialogue across differences feels normal rather than exceptional. Leadership that celebrates these contributions ensures the cycle continues.
The Broader Context for American Higher Education
UNE’s initiative takes place against a backdrop of national conversation about the role of higher education in American civic life. Concerns about ideological homogeneity on campuses, challenges to academic freedom, and debates about free expression have made headlines repeatedly in recent years.
In this context, institutions that take concrete steps to foster genuine intellectual diversity and respectful engagement are making an important contribution. Rather than simply defending the status quo or reacting to external pressure, UNE’s approach focuses on building positive practices that serve students and the broader community.
The university’s position as Maine’s largest independent university—with campuses in Biddeford and Portland, a study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and flexible online offerings—gives it significant reach. As the state’s top provider of health professionals and home to Maine’s only medical and dental colleges, UNE graduates enter fields where the ability to communicate across differences, evaluate evidence critically, and navigate complex ethical questions is essential.
For students entering healthcare professions in particular, the capacity for constructive dialogue is not optional. Providers must communicate effectively with patients from diverse backgrounds, collaborate with colleagues who may hold different perspectives, and make difficult decisions under uncertainty. The critical thinking skills championed by educators like Peterson directly serve these professional demands.
Practical Steps for Engaging Constructively
While institutional programs provide important scaffolding, constructive discourse ultimately depends on individual choices and practices. Whether you are a student, educator, or professional, here are evidence-based strategies for engaging more productively across differences:
Cultivate Intellectual Humility
Recognizing that our own understanding is limited—as Peterson’s teaching on blind spots emphasizes—is the foundation for genuine dialogue. When we approach conversations assuming we might learn something, we become more open to perspectives that challenge our existing views.
Ask Questions Before Asserting Positions
Genuine curiosity about how others arrived at their beliefs creates space for productive exchange. Rather than immediately countering a viewpoint with your own, try asking what experiences and reasoning led the other person to their conclusion.
Distinguish Understanding From Agreement
One of the most common barriers to constructive discourse is the assumption that seeking to understand someone’s perspective implies endorsing it. In reality, understanding opposing views is essential for informed disagreement and effective communication.
Welcome Disagreement
As Woodward’s example demonstrates, creating space for unpopular or minority perspectives strengthens rather than threatens a community. Disagreement, handled respectfully, is how ideas are tested and refined.
Focus on Relationships
Herbert’s observation that Woodward “lets people know she values them, even if their viewpoints differ from her own” points to an important truth: constructive discourse is easier when it occurs within relationships of mutual respect. Investing in relationships across difference pays dividends in the quality of dialogue.
Taking the Next Step
For those inspired by UNE’s example, there are several ways to engage further. Prospective students interested in learning more about the university’s academic programs and campus culture can explore the wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and online offerings available. Scheduling a campus visit or attending an open house provides firsthand exposure to the community values discussed here.
Educators and administrators at other institutions may find value in examining how recognition programs like UNE’s President’s Award for Constructive Discourse could be adapted to their own contexts. Celebrating concrete examples of constructive engagement, rather than merely stating abstract commitments, can meaningfully shift organizational culture.
Community members interested in the broader conversation about free expression and open inquiry in higher education can follow developments at institutions like UNE that are taking active steps to address these challenges. Sharing experiences and insights about what works—and what doesn’t—contributes to collective learning across the sector.
If you have questions about how UNE’s approach to constructive discourse might fit with your educational goals, or if you want to share your own experiences with dialogue across differences, we encourage you to reach out or join the conversation in the comments below.
Conclusion: A Model Worth Noting
The University of New England’s recognition of Julie Peterson and Lauren Woodward represents more than a routine awards ceremony. It reflects a deliberate institutional strategy to make constructive discourse a lived reality rather than an empty slogan. By celebrating faculty who teach critical thinking about belief formation and staff who build inclusive, communicative teams, UNE demonstrates what genuine commitment to a marketplace of ideas looks like in practice.
As debates about higher education’s role in American society continue, examples like this offer a constructive path forward—one focused on building the intellectual capacities and interpersonal practices that enable genuine engagement across difference. For students seeking an education that prepares them for a complex world, for educators looking for models to emulate, and for anyone interested in how organizations can foster healthier communication cultures, UNE’s approach merits attention.
Take a moment to reflect on your own experiences with constructive discourse—in educational settings, professional environments, or personal life. What practices have helped you engage productively across differences? Consider sharing your perspective, exploring related articles, or taking concrete steps to apply these principles in your own community.
