Viewpoint Diversity
In alignment with the State of Tennessee’s Campus Free Speech Protection Act, the UT Board of Trustees Policy Affirming Principles of Free Speech for Students and Faculty, UT System’s BE ONE UT core values, and UTC’s Strategic Plan, our campus works together to ensure a climate welcoming of diverse viewpoints for all faculty, staff, and students.
Our mission guides what we do with integrity and civility. We achieve excellence by actively engaging students, faculty, and staff, embracing diversity and inclusion, inspiring positive change and enriching and sustaining our community.
Throughout the years, we have provided opportunities for our campus and community partners to hear viewpoints from national speakers such as Ann Coulter (2015), Dinesh D’Souza (2017), Cornel West (2022), Bill Kristol (2022), and Angela Davis (2023), to name a few.
Learn more about the initiatives, programs, and policies that enable UTC faculty, staff, and students to engage civilly and learn through meaningful opportunities and from diverse perspectives.
POLICIES
- UT Policy Affirming Principles of Free Speech for Students and Faculty
- UTC Faculty Rights and Responsibilities/Academic Freedom
- Campus Free Speech Protection Act
- UT Board of Trustees Statement on Diversity
- Divisive Concepts Charter 818
- Tennessee Higher Education Freedom of Expression and Transparency Act
EVENTS
UTC Probasco Chair of Free Enterprise Speakers and Events
Dr. Claudia Williamson-Kramer, UTC’s Rollins College of Business Distinguished Probasco Chair of Free Enterprise, hosts multiple campus- and community-wide events throughout the year. Dr. Williamson-Kramer is a member of the Board of Fellows for The Institute of American Civics.
2023-2024 Probasco Chair event highlights
- Click here for more Probasco Chair of Free Enterprise events this year.
- The Scott L. Probasco, Jr. Distinguished Chair of Free Enterprise will host J. Brandon Bolen, assistant professor of economics at Mississippi College, to present a talk entitled “Credit for Me but Not for Thee: Small-Dollar Loans and Interest Rate Caps” on Jan. 25 at 5:30 p.m. in the Tennessee Room at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The free event is open to the general public, and attendees are simply asked to register here. A reception with heavy hors d'oeuvres will follow the discussion.
Dr. Bernice King And Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz To Headline UTC 2024 MLK Day
Dr. Bernice A. King and Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz are the keynote speakers for UTC’s MLK Day celebration on Friday, January 19th, at 12:15 p.m. The event, titled "A Conversation with Bernice King and Ilyasah Shabazz—A Legacy of Leadership and Service," will be hosted at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium. Moderated by UTC Vice Chancellor for Access and Engagement Stacy Lightfoot and Student Government Association President Chamyra Teasley. This program promises insightful discussions, a Q&A session, and a unique exploration of the legacies of these remarkable leaders. The event is open to the general public, and we encourage everyone to RSVP.
UTC Political Science and Public Service’s (PSPS) Adolph S. Ochs Professor of Government
Dr. Michelle Deardorff, Adolph S. Ochs Professor of Government and head of UTC’s Political Science and Public Service department has hosted events in collaboration with community and campus partners for nearly a decade. Dr. Deardorff was the 2020-2021 vice president of the American Political Science Association, the leading professional organization of political science scholars and students in the United States. Dr. Deardorff was presented with the first Chancellor’s Medal of Excellence by Chancellor Steven R. Angle during the Dec. 17, 2022, commencement ceremonies.
Dr. Deardoff collaborated with the TN Democracy Forum Speaker Series to bring renowned Washington Post opinion writer Jennifer Rubin to UTC for a Conversation on Democracy on October 19th. The event, sponsored by the Adolph S. Ochs Professor of Government, the Division of Access and Engagement, and the Honors College, took place at 7 p.m. in the Guerry Center Reading Room. In this engaging hour-long fireside chat, Mrs. Rubin delved into the crucial role of women in the pro-democracy movement in the United States. She also shared insights into her own ideological journey, offering a unique perspective on the evolution of her beliefs and their intersection with the pro-democracy movement. Jennifer Rubin, an opinion writer for The Washington Post, covers a wide range of topics, including politics, policy, and the conservative movement. The author of "Resistance: How Women Saved Democracy from Donald Trump," Rubin is also an MSNBC contributor and a frequent guest on syndicated radio programs, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the discussion. She joined The Post after three years with Commentary magazine and had a successful career in labor law for two decades before transitioning to journalism.
Navigating Difficult Topics in the Classroom: Faculty Pedagogy Discussions
UTC’s College of Arts and Sciences is hosting a Fall pedagogy forum for faculty to share approaches on teaching controversial topics or difficult subjects. During the discussions, faculty will share and learn best practices for engaging students in material that challenges them to explore outside their comfort zone, to engage in civil discourse around diverse viewpoints, and to think critically about arguments explored in class and in readings.
TN Democracy Forum
The TN Democracy Forum is a series of hour-long discussions of economic and political democracy focused on ongoing national and statewide issues. The series launched in partnership with UTC’s Political Science and Public Service Department Head and Adolph S. Ochs Professor of Government, Dr. Michelle Deardorff.
The Howard H. Baker Center for Public Policy
The Howard H. Baker Center for Public Policy You Might Be Right podcast is co-hosted by former Tennessee Governors Phil Bredesen and Bill Haslam.
Angela Davis
Dr. Angela Davis, a prominent educator, author, and public speaker, is the keynote speaker for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga MLK Day 2023 celebration taking place at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24, in the UTC Fine Arts Center’s Roland Hayes Concert Hall. This will be the 10th year for UTC’s MLK Day keynote speaker series and the first in-person event since 2020. In 2022, Dr. Cornel West joined over 700 participants virtually, for UTC’s 9th MLK Day of Service event. His message was on “love and civility.”
RESOURCES
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What is Viewpoint Diversity: Heterodox Academy created a short video explaining the importance of viewpoint diversity and confirmation bias. Heterodox Academy is a nonpartisan collaborative of 5,000+ professors, educators, administrators, staff, and students committed to research, open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement.
- A Roadmap to Promote Campus Free Expression: This manual was produced by the Bipartisan Policy Center and offers helpful recommendations for college presidents and senior leadership teams, trustees, faculty, athletic directors and coaches, and student affairs staff.
- National Institute for Civil Discourse: A non-partisan organization based at the University of Arizona that promotes healthy and civil political debate.
- Promoting Civil Discourse in Troubling Times: American University provides suggestions for bringing civil discourse to campus classrooms.
- Guidelines for Discussing Difficult or Controversial Topics: University of Michigan offers guidelines to help instructors facilitate classroom discussion around controversial issues.
- Multicultural Education Program: Classroom Tools UC Berkeley provides tools for instructors compiled by its Division of Equity & Inclusion.
- UTC’s Grayson H. Walker Center for Teaching and Learning: UTC provides a number of faculty and staff resources to help cultivate student engagement, learning, and success.
- Difficult Conversations: Teaching Tolerance provides a toolkit for facilitating difficult conversations.
- Difficult Dialogues: Vanderbilt University shares this guide for teachers in leading difficult dialogues.
- Classroom Dynamics & Diversity: Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning includes tips for managing challenging conversations.
- The Lost Art of Democratic Debate: Michael Sandel, Professor of Political Philosophy at Harvard, delivers a TED Talk.
UTC's Center for Reflective Citizenship: UTC’s College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies is dedicated to the revitalization of civic education in American schools and universities, and the equipping of a new generation of thoughtful citizens for the practice of democracy.
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