The HxA Campus
Community Network
HxA members on a single campus come together to promote the values of open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement to improve research and higher education.
HxA’s Campus Community Network is a natural extension of the virtual HxCommunities launched in 2018 and is made up of 50 Campus Communities in the US, UK, and Canada. Campus Communities give HxA members opportunities to work directly on their campuses with peers and supporters to foster positive culture change. Campus Communities are added to the Network by cohorts.
Campus Communities, which range in size, are led by 2-4 HxA member co-chairs on that campus, with financial and other support from HxA. Over time, these campus-based groups grow and develop in different ways, based on the unique opportunities and challenges of each institution. Members of each Campus Community support each other’s mission-driven efforts, showcase and model HxA values, and improve institutional policies, practices, and culture.
Our Campus Community Network includes a variety of colleges and universities throughout the US, Canada, and the UK, from community colleges and faith-based institutions to public research and Ivy League universities.
Events Across the Network
Our Campus Communities host a variety of events across the year. Check out our playlist on YouTube to see more.
Core Activities
Campus Communities will lay the groundwork for long-term success by cultivating a strong group of faculty, administrators, staff, and students. Each Community will evolve in their own unique way, while focusing on various activities that best serve their campus.Host monthly gatherings to plan, socialize, and share experiences and advice.
Host academic activities and practical workshops aligned with HxA values.
Work with institutional leaders about the policies and practices that shape the intellectual culture in the specific context of each local institution.
Recruit HxA members on their campus.
More Opportunities
As the Campus Community Network grows in size and influence, HxA will make additional resources and programs available to Campus Communities.Hosting large, campus-wide events, such as Heterodox Conversations, on their campus with support from HxA, in addition to the opportunity to network with other Campus Communities in regional meetings and at HxA’s annual conference.
Intellectual retreats, workshops, and trainings for Campus Community leaders.
Local administration of HxA’s Campus Expression Survey.
Additional grant opportunities as advertised.
Support from HxA
HxA provides each Campus Community with in-depth consulting and financial support for campus activities. In addition, Communities are able to receive peer support from across the Network.Campus Community leaders participate in a virtual orientation workshop with leaders from Communities across their cohort.
All Campus Community members gain access to The Quad — a private online community space for all of our Campus Communities.
HxA provides resources, advice, and other support for event planning, community building, member recruitment, communications, media training, and more.
Each Community has a public page on the HxA website where donors can support the Community directly.
Campus Community leaders receive opportunities to attend and contribute to seminars, webinars, and other opportunities related to intellectual leadership and higher ed policy.
If you’re interested in starting a Campus Community, please review our FAQ to understand our program, expectations, eligibility, and application process.
HxA has long supported specific member communities, many of which have hosted events and conducted research on campus. In their work to improve higher education from within, HxA members have increasingly sought ways to connect in-person and engage with questions of policy and leadership that are central to their own campus culture. Creating the HxA Campus Community Network was a natural next step.
We accept applications each year from April - August, onboarding new Campus Communities in the fall. HxA considers all completed applications and approves Campus Communities based on available resources and applicant readiness. If you are interested in forming a Campus Community and want to get the HxA members on your campus together, please email us (campuscommunities@heterodoxacademy.org) to request support for hosting a member meetup!
It depends on the specifics of the existing group’s structure and membership. Please inquire by email to CampusCommunities@heterodoxacademy.org.
No. The mission and core activities will be the same everywhere but the specific format and focus of the Campus Communities will vary based on local needs, interests, and circumstances.
Campus Communities are led by 2-4 co-chairs who are HxA members and currently affiliated with the institution as faculty, staff, administrator, or students with at least one co-chair being a faculty member. We ask that co-chairs plan to be at their institution for at least the first 2-3 years of launching their Campus Community, though we understand that academic life may include employment changes.
Campus Community co-chairs must be HxA members (if you are not one, you can apply to join here). This is a volunteer role and it is not compensated, though Campus Communities are eligible for financial support for group activities.
In the spirit of viewpoint diversity, HxA encourages applicant groups that include diverse perspectives along disciplinary, political, and other lines. Retired/emeritus faculty and staff are welcome to be involved in group planning but should not be lead applicants.
Campus Communities are meant to bring together members of the same institution, including for in-person meetings and events. A state university system is probably too large for a single Campus Community, but a college with nearby extension campuses might be just fine.
Co-chairs are required to be HxA members (if you are not one, you can apply to join here). Campus Communities are encouraged to invite regular participants to become HxA members, and a larger group of HxA members will be helpful in gaining access to certain opportunities, such as hosting a Heterodox Conversation.
That being said, HxA Campus Community programs should be “porous”: events should be free of charge and welcoming to all; and Campus Community meetings should include anyone interested, whether or not they are an HxA member.
The work of HxA is already changing campuses. The more that we do programs where we highlight the importance of viewpoint diversity and open inquiry, the more interest there is, and the more people are reaching out to learn more.
HxA is one of the most effective organizations at trying to steer the ship of higher education in the right direction.
The Quad is the virtual home of the Campus Community Network. In The Quad, members of Campus Communities can find resources from HxA, as well as various spaces to connect with other Campus Community members, ask questions and learn from each other, and share success stories.
The Quad is an invite-only space.