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Global Cornell

Cornell University

Discussing Difficult Topics

Cornell has resources available for faculty that help foster a campus-wide environment of community agreement.

Students attending class in Alice Statler Auditorium

Guides from the Intergroup Dialogue Project

The Intergroup Dialogue Project (IDP) is an academic initiative that creates community across difference through critical dialogue. IDP has compiled several guides to support effective tactics for intergroup communication:

  • Community Agreements Guide: Community agreements are "ground rules" that we establish early on to set expectations for how we want to communicate with each other. Establishing community agreements gives us a way to hold ourselves and others accountable for honest and respectful communication with one another. 
  • LARA Guide: LARA stands for Listen, Affirm, Respond, and Add Information. LARA aims to help steer a conversation toward a mutual understanding of each other's identities, lived experiences, and positions.

Resources for Cornell Classrooms

Visit Cornell’s Center for Teaching Innovation for classroom inclusion resources and advice for faculty on responding to incidents that affect the teaching and learning climate.