Below is an overview of some campus activities:

• NYU In Dialogue is a series that strengthens the community’s capacity to listen, value diverse perspectives, and engage across differences. It convenes leading voices from NYU alongside experts and global leaders to address pressing issues through thoughtful conversation.
• The NYU Inclusive Dialogue Video Series is a seven-part research-based resource designed to help NYU community members engage in meaningful conversations and become more inclusive leaders in classrooms, workplaces, and beyond.
• NYU Votes is NYU’s nonpartisan civic engagement initiative launched in 2018 to support voter registration, turnout, and political participation across the university community.
• NYU Reads brings the University community together through a shared reading experience. For new students, it offers an introduction to intellectual life at NYU; for continuing students, faculty, and staff, it fosters connection across disciplines, schools, and global sites.
• The How We Engage is an NYU initiative offering modules, workshops, programs, and resources to help the community build skills for meaningful dialogue, foster understanding across differences, uphold shared community standards, and advance Our NYU Commitment.
• How We Teach is an initiative to provide pedagogical training to new and experienced faculty. The modules are organized around the NYU Teaching Values Framework, which emphasizes intentional, student-centered, and evidence-based approaches that create learning environments where all students feel they belong and can thrive.
• NYU Changemaker Center’s Civic Engagement Series provides all students with opportunities to build the knowledge and skills needed to participate meaningfully in civic life. Through interactive workshops on topics such as voter engagement, advocacy, and key social and policy issues, students gain practical tools to navigate civic systems and champion the causes they care about.
• In Fall 2024, the Office of the Provost announced a new one-credit University course, “Democracy: Past, Present, and Future,” exploring topics such as the democratic features of ancient societies, the expansion of suffrage in the United States, and the factors behind the modern decline in democracy.
• NYU Washington DC and The John Brademas Center offer programming and experiential learning opportunities on pressing public issues, both at Washington Square and in the nation’s capital. Through panels, speakers, films, symposia, exhibitions, performances, and more, the Center brings diverse perspectives, research, and ideas to the NYU community and the broader public.
• Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service (FELPS) is a premier cross-sector leadership development program for recent graduates (within 2-4 years) from an undergraduate institution/ early-career public service professionals in New York City.
• NYU Wagner Democracy Scholars program offers rising high school seniors in New York City a free residential opportunity to learn in a college environment, explore relevant topics in political philosophy and social justice, and develop confidence in their academic and leadership capabilities.
• The Democracy Project is a new Project committed to bringing a wide range of perspectives to debates about the state of democracy and ensuring that the best available research informs these discussions. As part of the launch, the Project will kick off a “100 Ideas” series, in which 100 leading figures with views across the political spectrum each contribute a 700-word essay on democracy at home or abroad.
• In Fall 2025, NYU is offering a one-credit course “Is Democracy Worth It?” a thought-provoking course that invites students to examine why democracy is valued—and why some argue it should be replaced.
• In Spring 2026, “What is Freedom of Expression?” a one-credit course will explore the meaning, value, and limits of free speech in light of recent protests and political controversies. Students will engage with key philosophical arguments and real-world cases, with special focus on political speech, hate speech, and debates on university campuses.