Published in the Lansing State Journal Aug. 20, 2024
MSU president: Civil discourse, healthy tension can lead to better understanding of differences
Civility. Respect. Dignity.
Upholding these ideals is essential to the meaningful exercise of pluralistic democracy. This is no easy feat in today’s political environment. Current events often stir strong feelings and, too often, people retreat into their social and ideological bubbles. But universities like Michigan State are purpose-built to promote understanding across our differences.
The Rev. Raymond Lindquist once said, “Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.” Universities can help students do just that by being places of healthy tension, where ideas — not people — collide to reveal the many ways to live and view the world.
From classrooms to residence halls, college is often the first place students learn to live and work alongside people with different backgrounds, views and values. In many ways, that makes us a microcosm of the society into which Spartans will graduate. It’s a tremendous opportunity to prepare students to be good citizens, leaders and active participants in our democracy.
How can we make the most of this opportunity?
The foundation is modeling civil discourse across differences. This year at MSU, we will be talking a lot about how this includes listening actively, responding thoughtfully and debating respectfully — and how disagreement need not equate to disrespect. Genuine dialogue does take practice and patience, and I strive to lead by example and foster a culture of collaboration with empathy and humility.
This foundation is bolstered by a commitment to free speech, which underpins our very democracy. At Michigan State, we support individuals’ rights to freedom of expression — including lawful dissent. Part of our purpose as a university is to develop informed critical thinkers who can respectfully engage with different voices and ideas and thereby uphold our pluralistic democracy.
Michigan State offers students many avenues for such civil expression and activity, including through our scholarship, creative activities, engaged dialogues, student organizations, activism and service. With fall election season approaching, MSUvote is also encouraging students to engage and register their choices at the ballot box.
Our commitment to both free speech and civil discourse can create tension. As a public university, MSU legally cannot prohibit or impose discipline for most speech, even if it seems hurtful, repugnant or contrary to our ideals. But let me be clear — we will not tolerate unprotected speech such as true threats, discriminatory harassment of any type or incitement of illegal activity.
Words do have consequences, and hateful rhetoric has no place in our community. As a proudly public, global research university, we will collectively represent our values, support one another and do everything possible to ensure our campus is as welcoming as it is beautiful.
Our community will soon open its arms to tens of thousands of Spartans. To borrow the words of novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, we will aim to produce good citizens who do not retreat from or ostracize the unfamiliar but rather who courageously “hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function,” and function well, in our diverse and complex world.Kevin Guskiewicz is president of Michigan State University.