A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that advocates for open inquiry, viewpoint diversity and constructive disagreement has added Colorado State University to its network of campus communities.
Heterodox Academy, which was founded in 2015, added CSU and 14 other higher ed institutions to its network in early November. CSU is one of only six land-grant universities to receive the honor.
University Distinguished Teaching Scholar Matt Hickey, who serves as associate dean for research and graduate programs in the College of Health and Human Sciences, is the faculty co-chair of the CSU campus community of the Heterodox Academy.
Test-driving ideas
“We are excited to have it, and we hope it grows and makes an impact,” said Hickey, who teaches a class on bioethics. “The goal is to have an environment where it’s OK to test-drive ideas.”
The word “heterodox” means contrary to or different from an acknowledged standard, traditional form or established religion. Hickey explained that the academy is basically the opposite of an echo chamber – its aim is to encourage faculty, staff and students to approach problems and questions from different points of view.
Heterodox Academy, or HxA, will provide CSU with tools and resources for everything from classroom discussions and guest speakers to support for meetings centered on the idea that diverse viewpoints are integral to the pursuit of knowledge, discovery, growth, innovation and the exposure of falsehoods.
In good company
Hickey noted that prominent social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business, was one of the founders of HxA. He added that CSU is in good company as part of HxA’s third cohort, joining the likes of Columbia University, Penn State University and Morehouse College.
The HxA Campus Community Network, formed last January, also includes land-grant universities like Cornell University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Other Colorado higher ed institutions that are part of HxA include the University of Colorado Boulder, University of Denver and Colorado Mesa University
Arnold Cantú, a Ph.D. student in the School of Social Work, is the student co-chair of the CSU chapter.
“From the student standpoint, it’s evident there is an undercurrent and hunger for students from all walks of life to be able to confidently voice and express different beliefs and perspectives in their classes,” Cantú said. “That’s the mark of a good education and how genuine learning can occur. It’s vital that campuses across the country – ours included – return to the roots of the purpose of a university, one inclusive of viewpoint diversity. We all have our common humanity binding us together – let’s collectively put it to use in advancing knowledge and solving complex problems together.”
Current members
There are already several members of the CSU community who have joined the HxA. They include Communication Studies Professor Martin Carcasson, director of the Center for Public Deliberation; Associate Professor Matthew Hitt in the Department of Political Science; and Associate Professor David Most in the School of Education, all of whom presented at the most recent HxA national meeting.
More members are welcome, Hickey said, adding that the CSU chapter plans to have monthly meetings in addition to special events. It will work with other like-minded groups on campus such as the Center for Ethics and Human Rights and the Center for Public Deliberation, and it will participate in CSU’s Thematic Year on Democracy and Civic Engagement.
For more information on HxA, visit heterodoxacademy.org. Those interested in joining can contact Hickey at Matthew.Hickey@colostate.edu or Cantú at Arnold.Cantu@colostate.edu.
