University of Wisconsin-Madison

Presidents across our coalition are raising their voices—together. In 2025, 71 presidents joined a collective commencement campaign, delivering coordinated messages that echoed a shared refrain.

For dialogue initiatives to take root, it’s essential to have leadership from the president’s office. Hear from these university presidents and chancellor’s on their schools productive dialogue efforts: 

Food is a unifier. It’s easier to find common ground while sharing a meal with someone with a different perspective than when embroiled in a social media debate or a heated protest. Universities are turning to dialogue dinners to unite campus actors across generations and from different ideological standpoints. Often led by a trained facilitator, these dinners get people talking about pressing issues of our time and more theoretical questions about personal values.

Inaugural progress report highlights the remarkable strides college presidents have made in fostering free expression, critical inquiry, and civil discourse during an exceptionally challenging year for higher education.

Participating presidents will take campus-specific and collective action, reflecting three shared Civic Commitments.