Democracy Summit Schedule
Thursday, April 24, 2025
We all need opportunities to connect and engage with each other respectfully, productively and creatively. In this spirit, this year’s Democracy Summit is titled: “The Conversations We Need.”
While the day will feature an opening and closing plenary, the bulk of our time will be spent in smaller conversations on five topics, which were drawn from broad campus input. In addition, there is an opportunity to propose additional afternoon sessions at an open lunch-time planning jam, and a track of arts/media based workshops/experiences scheduled across the day, called “Creating Democracy”.
9:00-10:00 a.m.
Opening Plenary with Coffee
Join us as we set the stage for a day full of conversations and workshops. Hear from faculty, staff and students who will be contributing to sessions, and hear from Summit leaders who will share invitations and commitments to help guide and support our time together.UC Ballroom
Track 1: The Conversations We Need
10:15-11:30 a.m.
Skills for Civic Dialogue
How might we engage with others when we disagree, in ways that preserve respect and invite understanding?
UC 326
Facilitator: Katie Vaughan
Catalyzing Contributors: Christina Yoshimura, Libby Metcalf, Erika Coe
Information and Trust
How do we know what or whom to believe?
UC 225
Facilitator: Michael Rohd
Catalyzing Contributors: Heather Voorhees, Dan Lee, Payton Gardner
Role of Higher Education
What does an educational system look like if its aim is to develop educated citizens?
UC 330
Facilitator: Alicia Arant
Catalyzing Contributors: Brian Reed, Adrea Lawrence, Tim Nichols
Staying Engaged and Healthy
What grounds us, helps us stay healthy, and enables us to participate in democratic practices during times of change?
TODD 203
Facilitator: John Deboer
Catalyzing Contributors: Soazig Le Bihan, Kayli Julius, ASUM
Local, State and Global
What happened at this year’s Montana Legislature, how does it intersect with current activity across the Federal government, and what’s my relationship and responsibility to both bodies?
TODD 210
Facilitator: Kelly Webster
Catalyzing Contributors: Lee Banville, Dave Kuntz, Kristina Lucero, Amanda Cahill, Ryan Fleetwood
11:30-12:30 p.m.
BYO Lunch and Discussion: Jam Session for Emergent Conversations (snacks and drinks provided)
Do you wish the Democracy Summit included a session on an issue or topic that’s not being covered? Join us for lunch to brainstorm/propose a session for the open slots we’ve designed into our afternoon. Summit facilitators will work with whoever shows up at lunch to try and construct a question that could invite Summit attendees to engage with the conversation you want to see occur; then, we’ll help co-host it. Together, at this lunch, we’ll add as many as five sessions to the afternoon’s programming and get them up on this online schedule immediately.
UC Ballroom
12:30-1:45 p.m.
Skills for Civic Dialogue
How might we shape public conversations on campus to make space for more robust and productive dialogue around difficult subjects?
UC 326
Facilitator: Katie Vaughan
Catalyzing Contributors: Adrianne Smith, Skye Borden, Leslie Webb, Sean Hill
Information and Trust
How might we come to a shared understanding of the state of our nation amidst the omnipresent pitfalls of rumor, misinformation, and bias?
UC 225
Facilitator: Michael Rohd
Catalyzing Contributors: Amy Capolupo, Seth Bodnar, Mary Auld
Role of Higher Education
What is the role of public universities in times of political upheaval, stress, and change?
TODD 210
Facilitator: Alicia Arant
Catalyzing Contributors: Elizabeth Kamminga, Kristina Lucero, Scott Whittenburg
Staying Engaged and Healthy
Where and how can I channel my energy productively?
TODD 203
Facilitator: John Deboer
Catalyzing Contributors: Stephen Yoshimura, Tom Gallagher, Matthew Schertz
Local, State and Global
What role should the U.S. play in key global issues such as trade, security, and human rights?
UC 225
Facilitator: Kelly Webster
Catalyzing Contributors: Clint Walker, Liz Barrs, Gillian Glaes
2:00-3:15 p.m.
Concurrent Emergent Conversations
Check this spot after 12:45 pm on Summit Day to see what sessions have been added based on the lunch-time jam session!
Track 2: Creating Democracy
A set of experiential workshops that explore the relationship between democracy, artmaking and inquiry.
10:00-11:00 a.m.
Listening for Change: a workshop led by Composer/Sound artist and CAM Interim Dean Michael Musick (no sound/music experience needed!)
McGill 121
11:00-12:00 p.m.
Movement as collaboration: a workshop led by Dance Faculty Heidi Eggert (no movement experience needed!)
PARTV 005
1:00-2:20 p.m.
Participatory Theater and Liberation: a workshop in the groundbreaking work of Brazilian Theater maker Augusto Boal led by Theater Faculty Dr Bernadete Sweeney (no theatre experience needed!)
McGill 125
1:00-1:45 p.m.
Singing in Community
Join UM Director of Choral Activities Dr Stevie Hirner in using your voice to build community through the power of music (no singing experience required!).
MUS 218
2:30-3:45 p.m.
The Rise and Fall of Democracy: Using Generative AI
A workshop examining the most prominent generative AI tools currently available on the market; their impact, how they can give voice to more perspectives, and potentially lead to more tribalism. Led by faculty member and head of UM E-Sports Michael Cassens. (No AI experience needed!)
UC 220
3:30-4:30 p.m.
Closing Plenary with Coffee and Cookies
Join Summit leaders, contributors, participants and special guests for reflections from the day and further dialogue about democracy, higher education and the moment in which we find ourselves as a campus, community and nation.
UC Ballroom
7:00 p.m.
Dr. Robert Putnam: “Making Democracy Work”
President’s Lecture Series - 2025 Lucile Speer Memorial Lecture
UC Ballroom