Heterodox Academy (HxA)
Western Michigan University is a member of the Heterodox Academy (HxA) and one of 23 members of the first cohort for Heterodox Academy’s Campus Community Network, joining such institutions as Johns Hopkins University, McGill University, MIT and the University of California-Berkeley. We are the only higher ed institution in Michigan represented and the largest in the nation, uniting 80 active faculty, staff, and administrators.
Heterodox Academy (HxA) is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving college campuses by providing framework, data, tools, and platforms to help people understand and address the challenges facing institutions of higher learning regarding open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement.
Supported by the HxA, Jeff Breneman, vice president for government relations; David Paul, chair of the Department of Philosophy at Western Michigan University; and Jennifer Townsend, executive assistant to the Lee Honors College dean and an adjunct instructor, lead our Campus Community Network. All WMU students, faculty and staff are welcome and encouraged to join!
Western Michigan University received the 2025 Open Inquiry Award for Community Excellence by the Heterodox Academy.
Western Michigan University has been honored with the Community Excellence Open Inquiry Award by Heterodox Academy for its sustained commitment to intellectual inquiry and civic dialogue. WMU has hosted high-profile events through We Talk that model civil discourse and celebrate ideological diversity — setting a national example through intentional community-building and impactful programming in higher education.
HxA on the Road: A Visit to Western Michigan University
John Tomasi (HxA President) visited Western Michigan University on February 6, 2025, to engage with HxA’s Campus Communities, meeting members and supporting efforts to strengthen viewpoint diversity. As part of WMU’s We Talk series, Tomasi delivered his talk “A University the World Has Never Seen,” focusing on:
- Rebuilding trust in higher education.
- Promoting open inquiry, pluralism, and constructive disagreement.
- Highlighting WMU’s leadership role in HxA’s Campus Community Network.
“The 2025 Open Inquiry Award winners exemplify the courage, integrity and commitment to pluralism that our academic communities so desperately need."
Open Inquiry
The ability to ask questions, share ideas, and challenge existing orthodoxy without risk of censure.
Viewpoint Diversity
When members of a group or community approach problems or questions from a range of perspectives, backgrounds, and personal experiences.
Constructive Disagreement
Occurs when people who have different perspectives on an idea or issue are committed to collaboratively exploring and learning from one another.