The Tuck Dialogues Project will focus on creating opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to engage in conversations about hard issues that generate honest, often strenuous disagreement.
Co-creating a culture of respectful dialogue, discussion, and debate has long been a priority at Tuck with curricular offerings and co-curricular innovations that center curiosity, embracing discomfort, and developing self-awareness.
The Tuck Dialogues Project includes:
Real Talk Conversations Series
Tuck will host a speaker or moderated discussion focusing on current events, “hot” topics, and timely issues. The goal is to bring dynamic issues to the forefront and create opportunities to learn through observation and modeling how to construct an opinion, critique and idea, and navigate difficult topics. Our kick-off event, to be held February 6, will feature Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock who will discuss challenges impacting higher education in a conversation moderated by Professor Charles Wheelan. Register here.
Intercultural Leadership Seminar
An in-person experience to expand students’ leadership toolkit with inclusive practices and a robust skillset around intercultural competency and how to foster inclusive and dynamic work environments.
Green Table Talks
Modeled after the popular Red Table Talks series on Facebook introduced to the Tuck community by the Black Students Association at Tuck, these events will feature a panel format where community members will engage with and discuss a relevant or timely issue.
Tuck Dialogues Dinners
These small group dinners bring students together with faculty, guest speakers, or subject matter experts for a deep dive into a hot topic. They have been a popular student-led experience since being introduced by the DEI Co-Chairs in 2017.
Skill-Building Workshops
Similar to the Dartmouth Dialogues goal of providing students, staff, and faculty with skills to promote collaborative dialogue, these workshops will focus on the “soft skills” that augment emotional intelligence such as communication skills, interpersonal skills, managing people, and organizational behavior.
Leaders who can manage disagreement are more likely to build trust-based, psychologically safe teams and organizations. The only truly diverse and inclusive organization is one in which all stakeholders feel comfortable sharing their views and confident that their input will be treated with respect. Tuck Dialogues is fundamental to our larger DEI imperative. Our world needs leaders with more empathy and compassion. We need graduates with the skills, confidence, and competence to build community, resolve conflict, and inspire others to work toward a shared future.
President Sian Beilock has made protecting robust inquiry a key priority of her presidency and has launched the Dartmouth Dialogues project to promote crucial but difficult conversations on campus and beyond. She has spoken out about the problem of self-censorship, noting in a Boston Globe op-ed with former President Phil Hanlon, “The fear of speaking up is driving the discourse down.” The remedy is more wise, decisive leaders who can navigate difference in ways that harness the power of diversity.
Dartmouth Dialogues Events
Through a wide range of events, webinars, training, and practice at our schools, centers, departments, and divisions, Dartmouth will generate powerful and lasting outcomes. Visit the Dartmouth events calendar for all upcoming Dartmouth Dialogues events.
Tuck Ground Rules for Navigating Difficult Conversations
Inspired by Dean Matthew J. Slaughter and Professor Ella Bell’s popular Tuck Launch orientation session, we developed Tuck’s Ground Rules for Navigating Difficult Conversations to be a resource for setting the tone, intention, and establishing a baseline atmosphere of empathy and respect.
charles.j.wheelan@tuck.dartmouth.edu
Faculty Director, Lecturer, Author, Naked Statistics
