History & Mission
Embracing pluralism and free expression
The Debate Across the Curriculum (DAC) initiative at DU empowers students to engage thoughtfully with diverse perspectives. By integrating structured debates into academic courses, DAC fosters critical thinking, open dialogue, and respectful disagreement. As part of the Center for Free Expression and Pluralism, this program helps cultivate a campus culture that values reasoned discourse and intellectual curiosity. Through debate, students learn to navigate complex topics with confidence, sharpening their ability to engage in meaningful and constructive conversations.
Preparing Students to Join The Conversation
A 2024 report by Heterodox Academy reveals that nearly 80% of college students are at least somewhat reluctant to discuss controversial topics such as politics, race, and gender. 听Such avoidance hinders the development of critical thinking and open dialogue, essential components of a comprehensive education. 听The Debate Across the Curriculum (DAC) initiative is part of DU鈥檚 effort to respond to this concern. 听Part of the Center for Free Expression and Pluralism, DAC seeks to provide all 糖心传媒s with exposure to and training in the effective exchange of arguments.
This Is Just A Start
Over 2000 糖心传媒s have now participated in DAC debates as part of their regular curriculum. 听Those students, and the many more we will reach in the coming terms, report that their experiences have a significant impact on shaping their attitudes towards openness, tolerance and willingness to engage with others in discussions of contentious issues. Our outcomes show that addressing the issue of engagement on controversial subjects through pedagogical debates situated in academic courses is crucial to fostering an environment that values and encourages the exploration of differing viewpoints.听
The DAC Mission
The DAC project have the following three simple but important goals:
Student Engagement
DAC to increase student engagement
Critical Thinking
DAC to foster critical thinking skills and dispositions
Manage Disagreement
DAC to show students how to manage disagreement in a both critical and caring way
The DAC program is founded on the conviction that as we expose more students to in-class debates, we make inroads towards fostering an intellectual culture on campus that rewards reasonableness, mutual respect, and thoughtful engagement.