Common Ground Frequently Asked Questions

When are course enhancements and new course development proposals due?

A submission portal (via Smartsheet) will be available as early as April 1, 2026. Course enhancement proposals are due by April 30, 2026. New course development proposals are due by April 30, 2026. Submissions should be coordinated through provosts’ offices, and those offices may establish earlier deadlines to meet institutional priorities and the System Office deadlines.

What should proposals include?

Proposals for course enhancements should include:

• • a 150-word interest statement
  • a 150-word narrative describing the course and existing student learning outcomes attached to the course
  • a 150-word description of the suggested course enhancement (focus on strengthening students’ oral communication, rational argument, and critical thinking skills through structured dialogue, discourse, and debate within the context of disciplinary expertise and academic freedom)
  • 150 words on how other faculty may benefit from this approach/teaching methodology

Proposals for new course development should include the above 150-word narratives in addition to all institutional requirements for new course development.

When will faculty receive notification of stipends?

We will do our best to notify faculty and provosts’ offices by May 15, 2026, for course enhancement proposals, and May 30, 2026, for new course development proposals.

Can faculty submit more than one proposal?

This is up to institutional provosts/chief academic officers.

Does this initiative require presenting “both sides” of every issue?

No. Faculty retain full discretion to determine appropriate content consistent with disciplinary standards and academic freedom. The initiative supports skill development in argumentation and dialogue; it does not prescribe ideological balance or mandate particular viewpoints.

Will student surveys measure political or ideological beliefs?

No. The IRB-approved surveys focus on communication skills, students’ confidence engaging in structured academic disagreement, and growth in evidence-based reasoning. Results will be aggregated and may support scholarship of teaching and learning research.

Is participation required?

No. Participation is entirely voluntary. The initiative is intended as an opportunity for faculty who are interested in strengthening dialogue-based pedagogies and contributing to a cross-institutional community of practice.

Why are course proposals routed through provosts’ offices?

Consistent with UNC System culture and institutional governance practices, curriculum-related initiatives are coordinated at the campus level. Routing proposals through chief academic officers ensures alignment with local academic processes and preserves institutional autonomy.

How is peer review conducted?

Peer review within this initiative is developmental and scholarly in nature. It is designed to strengthen course design, promote cross-campus learning, and elevate best practices. It is not evaluative in a personnel or compliance sense. Peer review submissions will be informed by a rubric and be narrative in nature. Only faculty receiving stipends will be reviewing each other’s courses. Faculty will be matched for peer review across institutions.

What are the expectations for new course development stipends?

Faculty teams will be asked to both create and scour existing resources to identify best-in-class materials and to curate those materials into a resource library with a suggested curriculum, teaching strategies, and lesson plans. Courses must be taught by the faculty member receiving the award during Spring, Summer, or Fall 2027. Additionally:

• Submission: Faculty will submit through their provost’s office. The submission must be uploaded to the System Office by the provost’s office by April 30, 2026.
• Notification and amount of stipend: Notification will occur the week of May 15, 2026. Faculty will be granted up to $5,000 per faculty/per course.
• Expectations: Faculty will develop new courses to add and/or augment content and assignments around discourse, dialogue, and/or debate. Courses must be on the schedule for Spring, Summer, or Fall 2027 and taught by the faculty member receiving the stipend. Additional expectations include the following:
  1. Provide materials for a peer review of the course
  2. Conduct an inter-institutional peer review of one new course
  3. Develop course brief after completion documenting enhancement, expected outcomes, and actual outcomes
  4. Present and discuss during one webinar
  5. Administer pre and post course student attitudinal surveys during class
  6. Develop new course proposals that should be reviewed by the faculty member’s department head/chair prior to submission

Why partner with the Constructive Dialogue Institute?

The Constructive Dialogue Institute provides research-based professional development resources focused on civil discourse and communication skills. Participation in CDI workshops is optional and supported through dedicated funding. Please coordinate interest in this workshop through provosts’ offices.

Will the UNC System partner with other organizations doing the same type of work?

Yes, Braver Angels and other organizations are already working with faculty and students at several institutions. We will also look for collaborations with Davidson College and the Institute for Public Good as that work begins to unfold.