This semester, CEHV has been hard at work helping faculty and staff prepare to teach in ways that are consistent with SB1. We have offered ten workshops so far, and eight more are currently scheduled. Some of our workshops have been for general audiences, while others have been designed to meet the needs of particular units and colleges.

Our workshops begin with a brief overview of the sections of SB1 that are most relevant to the classroom, as well as related guidance published by Ohio State. We emphasize that SB1 does not limit the controversial topics or terminology that can be used or covered in a classroom, nor does it require faculty to use class time to explore ideas that are irrelevant to the course content and aims described in the syllabus. Faculty members are experts in their fields, and they are expected to manage class discussion in support of achieving the course goals. Moreover, the Student Code of Conduct still applies to disruptive students.

Next, we explore tactics for facilitating classroom discussions about controversial topics. Although SB1 is a new piece of legislation, the value of fostering intellectual diversity in classrooms has a long history at Ohio State. In our workshops, we offer tips that are firmly grounded in our 4Cs of Civil Discourse: be Curious, be Charitable, be Conscientious, be Constructive. This framework has been used by thousands of people within and outside of Ohio State through our workshops, online training program, courses, and facilitated dialogues. 

When it comes to the classroom, SB1 is an opportunity to lean more heavily on the civil discourse work that CEHV has already been doing rather than to invent something new. Utilizing the 4Cs is a great way to communicate a commitment to open, rigorous, and constructive dialogue in the classroom, and we are excited by the growing number of instructors who have included the 4Cs in their syllabi. For more information, see our guide to Facilitating Civil Discourse in the Classroom after SB1.