Columbia, five other universities will screen applicants for 'civility'
College hopefuls at six American universities may now submit a "civility transcript" showing how they engage on politically charged campuses.
Schoolhouse Dialogues originally included eight universities, but two have since withdrawn from the program.
A group of elite universities is now allowing applicants to submit “civility transcripts” as part of the admissions process, adding another layer of evaluation at a time when questions of free expression dominate campus life.
The transcripts are generated through Schoolhouse Dialogues, a program on the nonprofit tutoring platform Schoolhouse.world. High school students between the ages 14 and 18 are paired with peers who hold different views on controversial issues ranging from immigration and income inequality to abortion and the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
After each exchange, participants provide written reflections and receive peer feedback on skills such as listening and respectful disagreement.
An archived version of the Schoolhouse Dialogues website from June shows Columbia University, the University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, Colby College, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Vanderbilt University, and Washington University in St. Louis listed as partner schools.
MIT and Vanderbilt both tested the program, but have since ultimately declined to continue.
Vanderbilt announced on July 31 that it would be ending its partnership with the Dialogues program, saying the decision came after careful consideration and hearing “concerns” about the project.
The Tech reported MIT’s separation from the program on August 7. While the school will accept certain tutoring and technical certifications via Schoolhouse, it will no longer be a partner institution for the Dialogues program.
The documents prospective students may submit summarize the number of sessions, topics discussed, and feedback received but do not include recordings or transcripts of conversations.
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The pilot program has already logged more than 600 participants and over 2,000 hours of discussion.
Supporters argue the program helps identify students who can engage productively on politically charged campuses, particularly after nationwide protests and tensions over antisemitism. According to Education Week, organizers say early trials show most conversations ended with students finding common ground, and that the program is set to eventually expand into K-12 districts.
Skeptics question how civility can be fairly measured.