UNE faculty, professional staff honored for commitment to fostering civil discourse on controversial topics
The University of New England recently recognized three members of the UNE community for their commitment to free expression, open inquiry, and civil discourse around challenging topics, exemplifying the University’s commitment to fostering a robust marketplace of ideas among all faculty, students, and professional staff.
Kenneth Courtney, Ph.D., professor of political science, John Waterman, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, and Shannon Zlotkowski, M.S., assistant provost for Community and Belonging, were presented with the President's Award for Constructive Discourse during the annual employee Fall Assembly on Wednesday, Aug. 20, on UNE’s Biddeford Campus.
Established by UNE President James Herbert, the award recognizes members of the faculty and professional staff who have shown exceptional dedication to promoting constructive, thoughtful discourse on difficult or controversial topics within the UNE community. The award carries a $1,000 honorarium.
In the announcement, Herbert underscored the importance of the trio’s work in fostering an environment where challenging conversations can thrive both in and out of the classroom.
“I extend sincere thanks to John, Ken, and Shannon for setting examples for us all to follow as we strive to build a Nor’easter community that prioritizes the fundamental role of the academy as the ultimate marketplace of ideas,” he said. “I encourage us all to reflect on how each of us can better contribute to a culture that encourages viewpoint diversity and robust discourse at UNE.”
More information about the award recipients and their roles in UNE’s Marketplace of Ideas initiative:
Faculty Recipients: Kenneth Courtney, Ph.D., and John Waterman, Ph.D.
Kenneth Courtney, a political scientist from the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and John Waterman, a philosopher from the School of Arts and Humanities, were presented with faculty awards for developing and jointly teaching a course for students from across the University’s academic majors analyzing the U.S. presidential election throughout the lead up to and aftermath of the election.
In his Fall Assembly remarks, Herbert noted that the topic was of particular relevance to UNE’s undergraduate students as many of them prepared to vote for the first time.
“Ken and John contextualized these topics from various perspectives with respect to events unfolding in real time, as well as in relation to larger historical and political forces,” Herbert said.
The undergraduate course aimed to help students engage constructively with the many divisive, hot-button issues surrounding the election, including populism, global affairs, reproductive rights, threats to democracy, and the Supreme Court.
“Professors Courtney and Waterman offered a course that complicated the highly curated echo chambers that many of us exist in by getting students to not only confront different perspectives, but to understand and engage with them,” the duo’s award nominators wrote.
Professional Staff Award: Shannon Zlotkowski, M.S.
Shannon Zlotkowski, assistant provost for Community and Belonging at UNE, was awarded the professional staff award for constructive discourse for her efforts to foster inclusivity in all its forms across the University.
“(Shannon’s) support of cultural initiatives across campus reflects a deep understanding that true belonging cannot be taken for granted but must be actively promoted,” he remarked. “She challenges students, professional staff, and faculty alike to stretch beyond their comfort zones, pushing toward a more nuanced understanding of themselves and one another.”
In her role, Zlotkowski plays a leading role in ensuring that UNE’s strategic priority to foster a University environment that is welcoming, supportive, and inclusive of all community members is put into action.
As part of this strategic initiative, Zlotkowski recently launched a Community and Belonging Student Fellow program inclusive of undergraduate and graduate students across UNE’s campuses in Maine, Morocco, and online. She also served as a moderator for a President’s Forum event discussing the ideological complexities of the 2024 presidential election.
In her nomination letter, one UNE community member wrote: “Shannon never centers a single narrative. … She listens with humility, speaks with clarity, and encourages a shared responsibility for the kind of community we aspire to be. Her facilitation style is inclusive, honest, and grounded in mutual respect — the very essence of constructive discourse.”