Dear ArtsComm Community,
Welcome to Spring 2026! I am writing to you from Washington DC where I am attending the annual meeting for the American Association of Colleges and Universities. This is the premier organization bringing higher ed leaders together to promote excellence and innovation, and also to safeguard the values of our sector. The keynote addresses have expounded on higher education’s outsized role for a healthy, functioning democracy. Democracy needs citizens who are informed, who can think critically and communicate honestly and respectfully with each other about the big issues that face us.
As the School of the Arts and Communication, we are doing our part by doubling down on the art of communication in polarized times. We are committed to engaging the big and hard questions that face our country and our communities, even if it means disagreement and conflict. This is not a time to be silent or to silence others.
We are a school of creative, expressive and scholarly communicators. You can and should lead the way in years ahead, using skills learned in your ArtsComm curriculum and from opportunities like our Communication for the Common Good series which is in its fourth semester.
A fall program with Urban Rural Action was so fantastic that we have invited them back. Last fall, they led a group of about 50 to talk honestly about some hot topics, including if or how to respond to online violence. 100% percent of surveyed students indicated that they were confident or very confident that “if many more Americans participated in this workshop, we would start to reduce divisions in our country.” The founder of Urban Rural Action, Joe Bubman, was named by Time Magazine in 2020 as one of “27 People Bridging Divides Across America.” He has worked in international war zones and decided to bring it all back home, where we urgently need it.
We are thrilled that UR Action will be back with us this spring for programs on “Media Manipulation and Polarization: How Journalists and Content Creators Can Contribute to a Healthier Media Ecosystem.” These programs are sponsored by the Journalism and Professional Writing Program and supported by JPW alumnus Derek Wan’s generous gift to the program. In these two interactive workshops (back to back on the morning of Wednesday, March 11), we’ll discuss how we can spot the types of biases and manipulation strategies common in online content, and learn and apply proven strategies for countering these manipulation tactics to prevent and reduce harm to ourselves, our communities, and our country.
| Session 1: The Foundations of Media Manipulation and Polarization 9-10:30 am, Business School Lounge Format: Interactive lecture and small group discussions | Register Today! |
| Session 2: Applying Strategies for Combating Media Manipulation 11am-12:30 pm, Business School Lounge Format: Workshop, with small groups creating a pre-bunking strategy for a chosen type of manipulation | Register Today! |
UR Action facilitators have worked all over the world in conflict zones. They are so good at getting people engaged and thinking and problem solving together. You will be a better communicator and more prepared for citizenship if you do this. I look forward to our semester ahead and the many places we will come together as a community.
Warm regards,
Dean Barnett Halladay