“Building Bridges” Across Disagreements

Today President Alan M. Garber announced a grant program to support student projects that “build bridges across differences.” The President’s Building Bridges Fund is inspired by the work of two presidential task forces, on Combating Anti-Muslim, Anti-Arab, and Anti-Palestinian Bias and on Combating Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias. Both groups were established earlier this year amid deep tensions on campus over the Israel-Gaza war, and their preliminary recommendations, released in June, emphasized the importance of constructive dialogue and the need for more opportunities to build community across differences.

In a letter emailed to the entire student body, Garber invited students to submit proposals for projects; there is no set format for the projects—that’s up to the students—but they must adhere to one of four focus areas:

• Broadening relationships between affinity groups
• Investing in intellectual excellence
• Acting against discrimination, bullying, harassment, and hate
• Fostering constructive dialogue on campus about interfaith and/or intercultural issues

Winning proposals will be awarded grants of up to $5,000, and the deadline for submissions is January 6, 2025.

“Our own community has the skills, creativity, and commitment to develop approaches that will help us heal and to expand opportunities for constructive engagement,” Garber wrote in his letter. “If you have an idea that speaks to these goals, I hope that you will consider putting it into action.”