Brown Bag Discussions: Difficult Discussions

Brown-Bag lunch sessions provide informal opportunities for faculty to gather together and share knowledge, resources and techniques for handling specific, complex teaching topics. The discussion will be facilitated by Marc Ebenfield, Director, CETL. Links to pertinent resources will be provided and follow-up sessions may be created for popular topics. 

Difficult Discussions

Civil discourse. Divided America. Hot topics. Free speech. Safe spaces. Microaggressions. Academic freedom. Hate speech. Difficult dialogues. Tired yet? On college campuses across the country, these topics can generate fear, polarization, anger, and avoidance; however, engaging with the topics in respectfully critical ways can lead to the creation of more positive and productive learning spaces. It can also help students understand how to engage with difference rather than avoid confrontation. We aren’t promising one-size-fits-all, quick fixes or perfect recipes, but we will create a respectful, collaborative, and critical learning space in which to develop more comfort with these topics. 

Brown bag sessions will be held from 12:00-1:00 on both the Portland (Alumni 107, Detmer)) and Biddeford (3rd Floor Commons) campuses at the dates listed below. Online asynchronous discussions will open on Sunday and close on Saturday the same week as the Face-to-Face sessions. Links to the online discussions will be sent the Friday before they open.