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About Listening Tables
Columbia has been torn by deep divisions in the last year between vital political activism and the need for the University to continue its regular activities of research and learning while preventing protests from deteriorating into harassment of others. There are ongoing discussions on campus about what it means to have empathy for others—and their feelings when confronted with various actions, symbols, and words. People in our community think differently about how far to extend the principle that speech and conduct should avoid what is experienced by others as threatening and hurtful. While salutary, at a certain point, this principle can become an excuse for censoring uncomfortable but important speech. Discovering this point—or just understanding the myriad points of view and experiences among us—can only be done through face-to-face conversation. Listening is vital to conversation. It opens up a space where curiosity about another way of thinking can take the fore, where we can genuinely listen to each other’s point of view, and where discomfort can be explored safely. This is the goal of our new experimental initiative, Listening Tables.
A diverse group of Columbia faculty, administrators, and students are involved in setting up Listening Tables in neutral areas around the Morningside campus. Listening Tables are meant to generate connection and understanding as well as a reservoir of feedback and new ideas in these most difficult areas. We are hopeful that such a vision of true listening across significant differences can work. It will take us all working together and compromising. The University must always be a place where we can imagine something better than the world we find before us. In this, we believe Columbia has the capacity to be a model where even the hardest problems can be discussed, where minds can meet and people can grow, and where community can be co-created.
Listening Tables in the MEDIA
Where and When to Find Listening Tables
Inspired by efforts to create dialogue on other college campuses, faculty from many points of view have volunteered to host as neutral facilitators of discussion, working from guidelines developed by the Trust Collaboratory, or to simply be present for one-on-one or small-group conversation at the tables. The forms these conversations will take may vary, as befits experiment—there may be one host or several, with groups from 2 to 10 or so. The tables are for Columbia students, faculty and staff only and may not be commandeered by any one point of view. Food will be provided, since breaking bread together is a positive way to find space for people to connect. Everyone is welcome to join these conversations. Look for Listening Tables in different spots around the Morningside campus; they will be recognizable by their purple tablecloths.
Our event schedule will be continuously updated with new times and locations. Stay tuned and visit us again!
Register Here (Optional):
Schedule Spring 2025
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More information coming soon.
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More information coming soon.
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More information coming soon.
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More information coming soon.
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More information coming soon.
Previous Events
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Friday, 09/13 | 3:00 PM-5:00 PM
@Philosophy Lawn, Morningside Campus
Session 3:00 PM-4:00 PM
Gil Eyal, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Trust Collaboratory
Session 4:00 PM-5:00 PM
Sarah Cole, Dean of the School of the Arts
Friday, 09/20 | 3:00 PM-5:00 PM
@Philosophy Lawn, Morningside Campus
Session 3:00 PM-4:00 PM
Dima Amso, Professor of Psychology
Friday, 09/27 | 2:00 PM-4:00 PM
@Butler Plaza
Sessions A and B 2:00 PM-3:00 PM
Rebecca Kobrin, Associate Professor of American Jewish History & Larry Jackson, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Director of the Center for the Core Curriculum
Sessions A and B 3:00 PM-4:00 PM
Mary Sormanti, Professor of Professional Practice
Tuesday, 10/01 | 3:00 PM-5:00 PM
@Lerner Hall (1st Floor Ramps/Game Room)
This session will be hosted by the Columbia University Chapter of BridgeUSA
Monday, 10/07 | 12:00-6:00 PM
@South Lawn East (near Hamilton Hall)
Sessions A and B 12:00 PM-1:00 PM
Gil Eyal, Professor of Sociology and Director of The Trust Collaboratory & Susan Ellingwood, Associate Vice President of Public Affairs
Session 12:30 PM-2:30 PM
Angela Olinto, Provost of Columbia University
Sessions A and B 2:30 PM-4:00 PM
Frances Negron-Muntaner, Professor of English and Comparative Literature & Emmanuelle Saada, Associate Professor of French and Romance Philology
Sessions A and B 2:00 PM-3:30 PM
Amy Werman, Lecturer in the Discipline of Social Work & Larry Jackson, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Director of the Center for the Core Curriculum
Sessions A and B 3:30 PM-5:00 PM
Dennis Mitchell, Senior Advisor to the President on Inclusion and Belonging and Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement
Session 4:00 PM-5:00 PM
Abi E. Wright, Executive Director, Professional Prizes, Graduate School of Journalism
Session 5:00 PM-6:00 PM
Jeannette Wing, Executive Vice President for Research and Professor of Computer Science
Sessions A and B 5:00 PM-6:00 PM
Maya Sabatello, Associate Professor of Medical Sciences & Eugenia McGill, Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of International and Public Affairs
Thursday, 10/10 | 2:30 PM-4:30 PM
@Butler Plaza
Sessions A and B 2:30 PM-3:30 PM
Amy Hungerford, Executive Vice President for Arts and Sciences and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences & Peter Bearman, Professor of Sociology
Sessions A and B 3:30 PM-4:30 PM
Katrina Armstrong, President of Columbia University & Tom DiPrete, Professor of Sociology
Thursday, October 24 | 11:45 AM-01:45 PM
@Butler Plaza
Sessions A and B 11:45 AM-12:30 PM
Sam Sia, Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Vice Provost for the Fourth Purpose and Strategic Impact & Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Professor of Practice in International and Public Affairs
Sessions A and B 12:30 PM-1:45 PM
Danushi Fernando, Assistant Dean for Diversity and Strategic Partnerships, Columbia Engineering & Hans Bernier, Associate Director of Practicum Learning and Lecturer in Social Work
Wednesday, October 30 | 11:45 AM-01:45 PM
@Butler Plaza
Session 11:45 AM-12:30 PM
Gil Eyal, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Trust Collaboratory,
Sessions A and B 12:30 PM-1:45 PM
Abi Wright, Executive Director, Professional Prizes, Graduate School of Journalism & Ryan Hagen, Lecturer in Sociology
Thursday, October 31 | 5:00 PM-7:00 PM
@Earl Hall Lawn
Session 5:00 PM-6:00 PM
BridgeColumbia - this session will be hosted by the student-run Columbia University Chapter of BridgeUSA.
Session 6:00 PM-7:00 PM
Mary Sormanti, Professor of Professional Practice, School of Social Work, Program Director, Narrative Medicine, SPS
Wednesday, November 6 | 11:30 AM-2:30 PM
@Butler Plaza
Session 11:30 AM-12:45 PM
Peter Dixon, Associate Professor of Practice in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, School of Professional Studies
Session A 12:45 AM-2:00 PM
Beth Fisher-Yoshida, Program Director, M.S. in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution; Professor of Practice
Session B 12:45 AM-2:00 PM
Adlar Garcia, Associate Dean for Columbia College Alumni Relations & Engagement
Thursday, November 7 | 11:30 AM-2:30 PM
@Butler Plaza
Session A 11:30 AM-2:00 PM
Maria Martinez, Jaxon Williams-Bellamy, Bruce Goumain, University Senators
Session B 11:30 AM-12:30 PM
Roger Lehecka, Professor Emeritus, English & Comp Literature
Session 12:30 PM-1:30 PM
Keith Goggin, Trustee of Columbia University
Session 1:30 PM-2:30 PM
Ian Rottenberg, Dean of Religious Life, Director of the Earl Hall and Associate Chaplain, Religious Life
Tuesday, November 12 | 11:30 AM-2:30 PM
@Butler Plaza
Session 11:30 AM-12:30 PM
Amy Werman, Lecturer in Social Work
Session 12:30 PM-1:30 PM
Priscilla Yuen, Assistant Dean, Specialized Degree Programs, SIPA
Session 1:30 PM-2:30 PM
Matthew Beck, University Senator
Monday, November 18 | 11:30 AM-3:30 PM
@Butler Plaza
Session 11:30 AM-12:30 PM
Jonathan Rosand, Trustee of Columbia University
Session 12:30 PM-1:30 PM
Michelle Arbid, Alumna of the Conflict Resolution Program in SPS
Session 1:30 PM-2:30 PM
Scott Barry Kaufman, Adjunct Professor of Psychology
Thursday, December 12 | 11:30 AM-3:30 PM
@John Jay Dining Hall
Session A 11:30 AM-12:30 PM
Jacqueline Gottlieb, Professor of Neuroscience
Session A 12:30 PM-1:30 PM
James Applegate, Professor of Astronomy
Session A 1:30 PM-2:30 PM
Joyce Robbins, Lecturer in Statistics & Alan Glickman
Session A 2:30 PM-3:30 PM
Jarvis Watson, Chief Diversity Officer, Center on Global Energy PolicySession B 11:30 AM-12:30 PM
Joseph Terwilliger, Professor of Neurobiology
Session B 12:30 PM-1:30 PM
Eli Noam, Professor of Finance and Economics Emeritus
Session B 1:30 PM-2:30 PM
Keith Goggin, Trustee of Columbia University
Session B 2:30 PM-3:30 PM
Asya Tsaturyan, Research Fellow, Trust Collaboratory
Session C 2:30 PM-3:30 PM
Finbar Colleton, Student Fellow, Trust Collaboratory
How to Host and Attend
We invite faculty, students, and staff to host and attend Listening Tables. All members of the campus community can walk in and join the conversation. We encourage registering your attendance before a session to better support the work of our hosts, particularly if you are a larger group.
Hosting involves facilitating a 60-minute listening session. The goal of each session is to create a place where faculty, students, staff, and other members of the Columbia community can hear from others who may differ from them about how they relate, personally, to events on campus and off campus. If successful, hosts will enable participants to hear what is uncomfortable to hear without feeling threatened and, by the same token, to put themselves in the other’s shoes without feeling censored. To help facilitate a conversation, we have prepared a guide for hosting. If you wish to volunteer as a host, please submit a query to our team.
Please note that registrations for hosting and attending require a Columbia email address.
Do you want to share an experience, suggest how we can improve this format, or get involved? We look forward to hearing from you.
