Skip to main site navigation Skip to main content

Virtual Tour | Visit Campus | Contact Us | Apply Now

Utica University Logo
  • Academics
    • Programs
    • Online Programs
      • Online Business Programs
    • Honors Program
    • Graduate Study
    • International Ed & Study Abroad
      • Study Abroad
    • Exceptional Faculty
    • Research & Experiential Learning
      • Experiential Learning Courses
    • Student Support and Success
    • Schedules, Catalogs, and Resources
    • Institutes and Centers
    • Utica University at Florida
      • Tuition and Fees: ABSN Program
      • Accepted Students
    • Current Offerings
    • Program Details
    • Themed Pathways
    • Planning Sheet
  • Tuition and Financial Aid
    • Understanding Financial Aid
      • Value
      • Excelsior, Explained
      • University Scholarships
      • Annual Awards
    • Applying For Financial Aid
    • Tuition and Fees
      • Utica Campus Programs
      • Online Programs
      • ABSN Program
    • Net Price Calculator
    • Pioneer Passport
  • Admissions
    • First-Year Admissions
    • Transfer Admissions
      • Articulation Agreements
    • Graduate Admissions
      • Graduate Inquiry Form
    • International Applicants
      • International Inquiry Form
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Visit
      • Utica University Campus
      • Virtual Tour
      • Why Not Fly?
    • Apply Now
    • Contact Us
    • Accepted Student Info
    • High School Counselors
    • High School Bridge Program
  • Community
    • Living on Campus
      • Res Life and Student Living
      • Campus Engagement and Student Activities
    • Satellite Locations
    • The Utica Area
      • Hotels and Restaurants in the Utica Area
    • Utica Stories
    • About Utica
  • Athletics
    • Intercollegiate Athletics
    • Esports
  • News & Events
  • Alumni
  • Giving
  • Apply Now
  • Directory
  • About
  • Library
  • Logins
Utica University

Can We Talk?

  1. Utica Community
  2. Utica Stories
  3. Can We Talk?
Utica College Logo White 2250x1500

Dr. Jonathan Zimmerman began his address at UC on September 13 with a startling statistic: The more education you have, the less likely it is that you’ve had a conversation with someone of a different political perspective in the past year.
 

“That, to me, is the ultimate indictment of American higher education,” he said. “Education should mean exposing us to things that aren’t us.”

In his talk, which kicked off UC’s year-long “Talking Across Differences” series, Zimmerman advocated for reasoned, informed debates in the classroom, and encouraged professors and students not to shy away from tough topics for fear of creating controversy.

“We need to talk about talk,” he said, explaining that the most effective way to bridge the gaps in society is through open conversation—without name-calling, explicit language, or labels. “Those are the things that substitute for real arguments and delegitimize people on the other side,” he says. “That’s the danger.”

More Stories

Shelly Nunno Evans conducts orientation with DPT Students in June 2025.
On Campus

Physical Therapy doctoral students keep things moving

Though Commencement ceremonies bring the Spring semester to a close in May, the Utica University campus doesn’t stay quiet for...
John Cormican, with gray beard and hair down to his shoulders, wearing black glasses and a blue sweater, stands in front of book shelves and smiles.
Faculty

The World According to Cormican

He taught his first class when he was a freshman at Jefferson Township High School back home in Indiana. Not...
Utica University
Student

Utica University Announces Spring 2025 High Honors and Dean’s List

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Stephanie Nesbitt today announced the Utica University Spring 2025 semester High Honors...
All Stories

I would like to see logins and resources for:

For a general list of frequently used logins, you can also visit our logins page.

Utica University Logo
FacebookTwitterInstagramYouTube
  • Academics
  • Tuition and Financial Aid
  • Admissions
  • Community
  • Athletics
1600 Burrstone Road, Utica, NY 13502
Map & Directions
(315) 792-3006
Contact Us
  • Institutional Effectiveness
  • Bookstore
  • Disability Learning Support
  • Student Right to Know
2025-2026 College of Distinction2025-2026 Private College of Distinction2025-2026 Business College of Distinction2025-2026 Education College of Distinction2025-2026 Nursing College of Distinction2025-2026 Career Development College of Distinction2025-2026 Equity & Inclusion College of Distinction2023-2024 Military Friendly (Silver)