The HxA Campus
Community Network
HxA members on a single campus come together to promote the values of open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement to improve research and higher education.
HxA’s Campus Community Network is made up of 74 Campus Communities in the US, UK, and Canada. Campus Communities give HxA members opportunities to work directly on their campuses with peers and supporters to foster positive culture change. Campus Communities are added to the Network by cohorts.
Campus Communities, which range in size, are led by 2-4 HxA member co-chairs on that campus, with financial and other support from HxA. Over time, these campus-based groups grow and develop in different ways, based on the unique opportunities and challenges of each institution. Members of each Campus Community support each other’s mission-driven efforts, showcase and model HxA values, and improve institutional policies, practices, and culture.
Our Campus Community Network includes a variety of colleges and universities throughout the US, Canada, and the UK, from community colleges and faith-based institutions to public research and Ivy League universities. Search a university name or explore the map to find out if we're on your campus.
Our Campus Communities host a variety of events across the year. Check out our playlist on YouTube to see more.
If you’re interested in starting a Campus Community, please review our FAQ to understand our program, expectations, eligibility, and application process.
HxA has long supported specific member communities, many of which have hosted events and conducted research on campus. In their work to improve higher education from within, HxA members have increasingly sought ways to connect in-person and engage with questions of policy and leadership that are central to their own campus culture. Creating the HxA Campus Community Network was a natural next step.
It depends on the specifics of the existing group’s structure and membership. Please inquire by email to CampusCommunities@heterodoxacademy.org.
Campus Communities are led by 2-4 co-chairs who are HxA members and currently affiliated with the institution as faculty, staff, administrator, or graduate students with at least one co-chair being a faculty member. We ask that co-chairs plan to be at their institution for at least the first 2 years of launching their Campus Community, though we understand that academic life may include employment changes.
Campus Community co-chairs must be HxA members (if you are not one, you can apply to join here). This is a volunteer role and it is not compensated, though Campus Communities are eligible for financial support for their activities.
In the spirit of viewpoint diversity, HxA encourages applicant groups that include diverse perspectives along disciplinary, political, and other lines. Retired/emeritus faculty and staff are welcome to be involved in group planning but should not be lead applicants.
Campus Communities are meant to bring together members of the same institution, including for in-person meetings and events. A state university system is probably too large for a single Campus Community, but a college with nearby extension campuses might be just fine.
We accept applications each year starting in April, onboarding new Campus Communities in the fall as a cohort. HxA considers all completed applications and approves Campus Communities based on available resources and applicant readiness. If you are interested in forming a Campus Community and want to get the HxA members on your campus together, please email us atcampuscommunities@heterodoxacademy.org to request support for hosting a member meetup!
No. The mission and core activities will be the same everywhere but the specific format and focus of the Campus Communities will vary based on local needs, interests, and circumstances.
Co-chairs are required to be HxA members (if you are not one, you can apply to join here). Campus Communities are encouraged to invite regular participants to become HxA members, and a larger group of HxA members will be helpful in gaining access to certain opportunities..
That being said, HxA Campus Communities and their activities should be “porous” and welcoming to all, particularly campus-wide events/programs.
The work of HxA is already changing campuses. The more that we do programs where we highlight the importance of viewpoint diversity and open inquiry, the more interest there is, and the more people are reaching out to learn more.
HxA is one of the most effective organizations at trying to steer the ship of higher education in the right direction.
Access Campus Community Forums in the HxA Portal
In the HxA Portal, there are specific forums for each existing Campus Community where members on the same campus can connect with each other as well as learn more about what that Community is doing.