<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Calibri Light";
panose-1:2 15 3 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Aptos;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#467886;
text-decoration:underline;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Please mark your calendars for the Civil Discourse Symposium on April 7, 2026!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">East Texas A&M is one of three campuses selected by The Texas A&M University System to host this pilot event. This distinction reflects our university’s strong commitment to civil discourse and constructive
dialogue. The symposium is part of the <b>A&M System’s <i>Civil Discourse in a Divided Age</i> initiative</b>, designed to equip students to engage thoughtfully across differences.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">This <b>student-focused symposium</b> is envisioned as a full-day, academically grounded event designed to actively engage students in conversations about free expression, civic leadership and respectful disagreement.
The <b>morning session</b> will feature a high-profile keynote speaker, followed by a moderated discussion that may include legislators. The discussion will focus on active listening and understanding perspectives that differ sharply from one’s own. The
<b>afternoon session</b> will build on that foundation, focusing on civility in media and social media. It will feature a nationally recognized public figure with experience leading in a highly visible public role, followed by a moderated conversation and meaningful
student engagement.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Faculty, staff and student leaders are encouraged to integrate this event into their courses and co-curricular experiences, as appropriate, and to
<b>actively encourage student participation</b>. Specific session details and speakers are still being finalized, but the programming will emphasize civil discourse in practice and will be appropriate for integration across a wide range of disciplines and
subject areas. We will share more details soon.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Please save the date and share this information with your students!
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" style="width:6.25in;background:white;border-collapse:collapse">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="600" style="width:6.25in;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:#00386C">Erin L. Webster Garrett, PhD<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="600" style="width:6.25in;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color:#4F5352">Dean and Professor </span></i><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="600" style="width:6.25in;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#4F5352"><a href="https://www.tamuc.edu/honors-programs/"><span style="color:#0088CE">Honors College</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height:1.5pt">
<td width="600" style="width:6.25in;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:1.5pt"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="600" style="width:6.25in;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#4F5352;text-transform:uppercase">P: 903.468.3005 | C: 540.230.3579</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#4F5352"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="600" style="width:6.25in;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="600" style="width:6.25in;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#4F5352">PO Box 3011, Commerce, TX, 75429</span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="600" style="width:6.25in;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="600" style="width:6.25in;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="color:black"><a href="https://www.tamuc.edu/" title="https://www.tamuc.edu/"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0432FF;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="250" height="33" style="width:2.6011in;height:.3452in" id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DC8D5D.25458420" alt="TAMUC logo"></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:black">This communication, including any attachments, may contain confidential and privileged information and is intended for the individual
or entity to which it is addressed. Any review, dissemination, or copying of this communication by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by e-mail, delete and destroy
all copies of the original message. Thank you.</span></i><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>