Constructive
Disagreement

Academic institutions have a duty to cultivate constructive disagreement, through skills and norms such as curiosity, humility, respectful dialogue, charitable listening, and appeals to evidence and reason. These practices are especially important to the education of students, who deserve to be well prepared for the exchange of ideas on campus, in the workplace, and as part of a democracy.

Constructive disagreement is not consistent with shout-downs and intimidation, nor does it require polite silence or careless compromise. Instead, the practice of constructive disagreement shows respect through the rigorous examination of ideas and assumptions, including one’s own.