By Mercer Stauch
The student-centered “Listening Circle” originally scheduled for Feb. 18 was rescheduled to March 4 and then canceled due to scheduling conflicts and lack of student interest. Students who remain interested in this group-specific conversation are invited to participate in the all-campus circle on April 1. “We were disappointed that there was not enough interest in a student-focused listening circle, but unfortunately, we weren’t able to meet the minimum number of attendees that are required to hold a circle,” said Meara O’Malley, assistant to the vice president for student affairs.
According to the Listening Circle Planning Team, the circles are intended to address a perceived need for the campus community to “rebuild trust and make plans for future positive experiences of dialogue” following the disruption of Rep. Derek Kilmer’s Pierce Lecture in Spring 2024. They are mediated by the Center for Conflict Resolution, a third-party organization that partnered with the Division of Student Affairs. The process intends to develop recommendations “for how to repair and increase trust in the future,” according to the FAQ document provided to prospective participants.
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