{"id":168,"date":"2026-03-19T13:39:38","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T13:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myapps.northcarolina.edu\/faculty\/?page_id=168"},"modified":"2026-10-14T14:20:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T14:20:18","slug":"common-ground","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/myapps.northcarolina.edu\/faculty\/initiatives\/common-ground\/","title":{"rendered":"UNC System Common Ground Collaborative"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The faculty-driven UNC System Common Ground Collaborative is designed to strengthen students\u2019 oral communication, rational argument ability, and critical thinking skills through structured dialogue, discourse, and debate.<\/p>\n

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Listening Matters. Learning Lasts.<\/h2>\n

The UNC System Common Ground Collaborative is a faculty-led, Systemwide investment in teaching and learning. Through evidence-based teaching, professional learning, scholarly collaboration, and research, Common Ground supports faculty in helping students listen carefully, think critically, communicate respectfully, build relationships, and solve problems together.<\/p>\n

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From the Classroom to Life Beyond College<\/h3>\n

The skills at the center of Common Ground extend beyond any individual course. <\/strong>Listening, critical thinking, reasoned argument, collaboration, and the ability to work through disagreement help students participate more fully in academic life, professional settings, and their communities.<\/p>\n

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Faculty are Leading the Way<\/h3>\n

Common Ground is informed by faculty expertise across the UNC System.<\/strong> More than 100 UNC System faculty members are developing new courses and enhancing existing ones through Common Ground.<\/p>\n

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Their work spans disciplines, including biology, communication, art and digital design, mathematics, law, engineering, finance, philosophy, and more.<\/p>\n

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Open Inquiry and Academic Freedom<\/h3>\n

Open inquiry is fundamental to the academic work Common Ground supports.<\/strong> Faculty retain discretion to determine appropriate course content and teaching methods consistent with disciplinary standards, professional judgement, and academic freedom.<\/p>\n

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Common Ground does not prescribe viewpoints, require ideological balance, or mandate that faculty present \u201cboth sides\u201d of an issue.<\/p>\n

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What Common Ground Supports<\/h2>\n

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Teaching and Faculty Development<\/h3>\n

Common Ground supports faculty in developing and enhancing courses and provides access to teaching resources, professional development, fellowships, and collaborative learning opportunities.<\/p>\n

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Scholarly Practice and Assessment<\/h3>\n

Participants contribute to a Systemwide community of practice through developmental peer review, shared reflection, documentation of teaching outcomes, and student assessment.<\/p>\n

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Connection Across Institutions<\/h3>\n

Convenings, webinars, and other activities connect faculty across disciplines and institutions to exchange ideas and learn from one another.<\/p>\n

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Research and Evidence<\/h3>\n

Faculty-led research, student assessment, and independent evaluation help the System understand and refine effective approaches to teaching dialogue, reasoning, and communication.<\/p>\n

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Civil Discourse and the University of North Carolina<\/h3>\n

Strong Civility, Culture of Collaborative Problem-Solving, and Inherent Dignity<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

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The UNC System Faculty Assembly<\/a> Task Force on Civil Discourse released a comprehensive examination of the value of civil discourse in the undergraduate experience. The report highlights examples of curricular and co-curricular work already underway across UNC System institutions and offers recommendations for assessing and strengthening civil discourse work across the state.<\/p>\n

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Finding common ground does not require complete agreement. It begins by listening, grows through communication and understanding, and creates the foundational trust needed to investigate opportunities and solve problems together.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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