Assessing applicants on their willingness to engage in ¡°civil discourse¡± may be an attempt to ¡°appease Donald Trump¡± but could bring real benefits for campuses, some scholars believe ¨C?although others fear that adding more complexity to admissions will ¡°fail to move the dial¡±.

As part of the application process for the coming academic year, six universities have announced they will accept optional submissions from an online module run by educational platform Schoolhouse.world that promises to assess?the ¡°readiness [of applicants] to engage in civil discourse¡±.

?it allows applicants to demonstrate their ¡°open-mindedness, empathy, and communication skills¡± through one-to-one Zoom calls with other students.

Columbia 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ is one of those taking part after it recently agreed to pay over $200 million (?148 million) in legal settlements?to the Trump administration after the White House accused it of?failing to prevent antisemitism during the pro-Palestinian encampments last year.

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Donald Alexander Downs, professor emeritus at the 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Wisconsin-Madison, said adopting the new module was likely an ¡°effort to make Trump less hostile¡± and ease pressure for reform coming from alumni, students, trustees and the public in general.

While Downs had concerns around civil dialogue initiatives if they are ¡°wishy-washy¡±, such policies could form ¡°a cutting-edge move that is slowly reshaping higher education¡± if instituted, defined and applied right.

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¡°It seems like a good start. I think it¡¯s too bad it had to come about in reaction to outside pressure. Higher education needs constructive reform from within, hopefully avoiding outside interference.¡±

The other colleges to accept submissions are the 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Chicago, Johns Hopkins 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, Colby College, Northwestern 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ and Washington 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ.

Downs said it could lead to having ¡°more students who value controversy while also welcoming and tolerating disagreement¡± within the ¡°echo chambers¡± of elite universities.

Keith Whittington, a law professor at Yale 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, said the ¡°Trump administration moved the needle on this¡±?but many faculty have been urging such reform for a while.

¡°I¡¯m sceptical that this kind of technical change to the admission reform will make a dramatic difference in the kind of students admitted without a deeper cultural change in admission offices, but it seems like a step in the right direction.

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¡°It at least sends a signal to students that they should understand themselves as entering a project aimed at learning across differences and encountering new things and not just one that provides them a platform to advance their current commitments.¡±

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Vanderbilt 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ decided not to continue with the programme after a trial period. Vanderbilt said??but did not specify what they were.

Catharine Hill, president emerita of Vassar College, said there was a worry that such policies could favour wealthier students.

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¡°The competition to get into selective schools is high, and higher-income students will work to check this box along with other things they believe will give them an advantage in the admissions process.¡±

She also warned that just accepting students who are committed to civil discourse will not necessarily improve the quality of campus debate.

¡°What we¡¯d like colleges and universities to do is convince students that engaging with others on complicated issues in a manner that allows for learning is valuable to our society.¡±

Students have far more nuanced, thoughtful classroom conversations than critics of higher education give them credit for doing, according to Adia Wingfield, a professor of sociology at Washington 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ.

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¡°I anticipate that introducing this option will add yet another layer to the admissions process, but I doubt it will create a fundamental shift in how students navigate complex issues.¡±

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com