Dear Faculty and Staff,
As we begin a new academic year, we must acknowledge that many of the same global, national, and university issues that caused painful divisions across our campus last year remain, and new contentious challenges will undoubtedly continue to arise. Our role as educators calls us to explore, in community, how to best meet these challenges. In this spirit, we are pleased to announce the formation of the Dialogue Collaborative.
The collaborative is an interdisciplinary initiative that seeks to recognize the benefits of constructive conflict and to embed principles and practices of dialogue across the DePaul community. Much of this work is already happening at DePaul, as shown by the many classes, programs, initiatives and other activities that teach and promote dialogic principles. The Dialogue Collaborative strives to elevate and connect this work and provide support as we build a strong, respectful culture of dialogue at DePaul.
The collaborative is still taking shape. As we return to campus, we will reach out to partners across the university. We will share more information as the initiative develops, and as we form a steering committee to guide long-term decisions and structure. For now, we invite you to participate in two important ways: Attend our inaugural event in September and apply to participate in the Dialogue in Action workshops.
Attend the open-door discussion on dialogue
Through a dynamic series of conversations, this gathering of faculty, staff and administrators will explore how the practice of dialogue is currently taking place across our community, as well as future possibilities for development and innovation. Particular attention will be placed on fostering dialogue as a central feature of the culture of our university in ways that are consistent with our institutional ethos and which reflect the mission of DePaul.
We hope you can join us on September 18, 4:30-6:45 in the Student Center, 120A. Please RSVP by
clicking here.
Become certified in Dialogue in Action
As a cornerstone of this initiative, DePaul will offer a proprietary certification in Dialogue in Action, which will be housed in the College of Communication. This series of six, 3-hour workshops will cover the principles and facilitation of dialogue. The workshops will equip DePaul community members with essential knowledge and hands-on experience in framing, designing, and leading dialogues across diverse perspectives. After completing the certification, participants will be asked to plan at least one initiative or event that integrates a dialogic approach and will be compensated for their time.
The Dialogue Collaborative will offer workshops to three cohorts over the academic year in the Fall, Winter and Spring quarters. Twenty DePaul faculty and staff will participate in each cohort.
We invite full-time faculty and staff who may be interested in completing the certification program to apply. You can find more information and a link to the application on
our website.
We are accepting applications for all three cohorts. The first cohort this fall will be a pilot and we will give priority to community members from across the university with experience in dialogue or related fields to offer their expertise and feedback on the curriculum.
We know building a culture of dialogue at DePaul will require teamwork and partnerships across the university. We look forward to opportunities to support the work of others and combine efforts to create new possibilities. More to come!
Sincerely,
Lexa Murphy
Dean, College of Communication
Guillermo Vásquez de Velasco
Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences