Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
At the 2025 Heterodox Academy Mountain West Regional Conference, hosted at Colorado State University, three HxA Campus Community Co-Chairs share strategies, challenges, and successes in fostering open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement on their campuses.
Moderated by Bethany Boucher, Interim Director of Member and Campus Engagement at HxA, the panel features:
Jennifer Harmon – Associate Professor, University of Wyoming
Peter Newton – Associate Professor, University of Colorado Boulder
Matt Hickey – Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Studies, Colorado State University
Chapter Markers:
00:00 – Welcome & Introduction – Bethany Boettcher opens the panel
01:11 – HxA’s mission and the role of Campus Community Co-Chairs
02:33 – Meet the panel: Harmon, Newton, Hickey
04:09 – Why become a campus co-chair? Motivations and goals
08:46 – Misconceptions about HxA and political neutrality
14:00 – Strategies to engage students with uncomfortable ideas
16:43 – Classroom and event models for constructive disagreement
20:22 – Does academia reward humility or punish risk-taking?
24:46 – Supporting marginalized voices in academic settings
27:35 – Changing how universities respond to controversy
29:18 – Fears and hopes for the future of higher education
31:47 – Audience Q&A begins
36:53 – Leadership under pressure: standing firm on free speech
42:05 – Cross-disciplinary differences in campus culture
44:51 – What campus communities need most from HxA HQ
48:00 – Announcements: Future Rocky Mountain regional meetings
48:36 – Final audience comment and closing
At the 2025 Heterodox Academy Mountain West Regional Conference, hosted at Colorado State University, three HxA Campus Community Co-Chairs share strategies, challenges, and successes in fostering open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement on their campuses.
Moderated by Bethany Boucher, Interim Director of Member and Campus Engagement at HxA, the panel features:
Jennifer Harmon – Associate Professor, University of Wyoming
Peter Newton – Associate Professor, University of Colorado Boulder
Matt Hickey – Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Studies, Colorado State University
Chapter Markers:
00:00 – Welcome & Introduction – Bethany Boettcher opens the panel
01:11 – HxA’s mission and the role of Campus Community Co-Chairs
02:33 – Meet the panel: Harmon, Newton, Hickey
04:09 – Why become a campus co-chair? Motivations and goals
08:46 – Misconceptions about HxA and political neutrality
14:00 – Strategies to engage students with uncomfortable ideas
16:43 – Classroom and event models for constructive disagreement
20:22 – Does academia reward humility or punish risk-taking?
24:46 – Supporting marginalized voices in academic settings
27:35 – Changing how universities respond to controversy
29:18 – Fears and hopes for the future of higher education
31:47 – Audience Q&A begins
36:53 – Leadership under pressure: standing firm on free speech
42:05 – Cross-disciplinary differences in campus culture
44:51 – What campus communities need most from HxA HQ
48:00 – Announcements: Future Rocky Mountain regional meetings
48:36 – Final audience comment and closing
