Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies (SWCHRS)

Managing Civil Discourse On-Demand

Build the skills. Lead with confidence.

Welcome to the SWCHRS On-Demand Webinar Series

Learn with us – The SWCHRS On-Demand Webinar Series offers a range of webinars that address critical topics in professional development, institutional effectiveness, and community engagement. These webinars feature expert speakers and provide practical strategies and insights for educational professionals. Each series consists of five sessions available on demand for one year.

Registration Now Open – Sessions Available January 2027

Registration for the Managing Civil Discourse On-Demand Series is now open! The prerecorded sessions and course materials are currently being finalized and are expected to become available in January 2027.

Participants may register now and will receive an email notification with instructions for accessing the series once it becomes available.

Learn at Your Own Pace

This fully on-demand series includes five prerecorded sessions, totaling approximately 10 hours of professional development. Participants can watch the sessions at their convenience, revisit materials throughout their one-year access period, and complete the accompanying workbooks and quizzes independently. No live attendance is required.

How the On-Demand Series Works

The Managing Civil Discourse On-Demand Series allows participants to complete professional development training at their own pace, on their own schedule.

Five Prerecorded Sessions: Access five training sessions, each approximately two hours long, featuring practical strategies for navigating challenging conversations and resolving conflicts.
Learn at Your Own Pace: Watch the sessions when it's convenient for you, with the flexibility to pause, review, and revisit the material.
Workbooks and Quizzes: Each session includes a workbook and quiz designed to reinforce key concepts and help participants apply what they've learned.
One Year of Access: Participants have access to the complete series for one year from the date of registration.
Earn a Digital Badge: Participants who successfully complete all required components of the series are eligible to receive a digital micro-credential recognizing their professional development.

Accessing Your Training: All sessions and course materials will be available through the Cvent Attendee Hub. Registered participants will receive instructions for accessing their training.

Who Should Attend?

This series is designed for higher education professionals who want to strengthen their communication, conflict resolution, and leadership skills.

Participants may include faculty, administrators, department chairs, student affairs professionals, human resources staff, and other campus leaders who regularly navigate challenging conversations, workplace disagreements, and institutional decision-making.

Whether you are managing difficult discussions, addressing conflict within a team, or working toward collaborative solutions, this series provides practical strategies you can apply in your professional role.

Managing Civil Discourse On-Demand Sessions

SWCHRS offers a credentialed five-part training on Managing Civil Discourse (MCD). This structured, evidence-based series equips professionals in higher education with the skills necessary to navigate challenging discussions effectively. The training focuses on selecting the right conflict resolution model based on situational needs and applying proven techniques to maintain productive dialogue in professional and academic settings.

A digital micro-credential is available to participants who complete the full series requirements. Credential badge shown with watermark for display purposes only. Official badges are awarded upon completion.

All prerecorded sessions and course materials will be accessible through the Cvent Attendee Hub

Webinars can be accessed for up to a year.

Managing Civil Discourse program schedule:

Session 1: Crucial Conversations Model - Handling High Stakes Discussions
Session 2: Interest Based Relational (IBR) Model - Negotiating Workplace and Institutional Agreements
Session 3: Nonviolent Communication (NVC) - Managing Emotionally Charged Conflicts
Session 4: 4Rs Method - Resolving Institutional Governance Conflicts
Session 5: DESC Script - Providing Direct Feedback and Advocating for Change

How Do I Earn My Digital Badge?

Participants who complete all five sessions and the required learning activities are eligible to earn a digital micro-credential.

To earn your badge, you must:

Watch all five prerecorded training sessions.
Complete the accompanying workbooks and quizzes.
Complete the final course evaluation.

Once all requirements have been verified, participants will receive instructions by email for accessing their digital badge.

Participants have one year from their registration date to complete the series and earn their badge.

Managing Civil Discourse On-Demand – A Five-Part Training Series

Crucial Conversations Model – Handling High-Stakes Discussions

This session introduces the Crucial Conversations Model, designed for managing high-stakes conversations where emotions run high. Participants will learn how to establish psychological safety, focus on mutual purpose, and use de-escalation techniques to keep discussions constructive. Applications include faculty hiring and tenure decisions, student protests, policy debates, budget allocations, and crisis response discussions.

Facilitator: Anthony P. Natale, PhD, MSW

Interest-Based Relational (IBR) Model – Negotiating Workplace and Institutional Agreements

This session focuses on the Interest-Based Relational (IBR) Model, which is widely used in negotiations, workplace conflict resolution, and institutional decision-making. Participants will learn strategies for balancing stakeholder priorities and achieving mutually beneficial outcomes in areas such as faculty workload distribution, research funding, donor agreements, and collective bargaining.

Facilitator: Anthony P. Natale, PhD, MSW

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) – Managing Emotionally Charged Conflicts

This session explores the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) Model, which is effective for addressing conflicts with strong emotional components. Participants will learn the four NVC components—Observation, Feeling, Need, Request—and apply them to faculty-student conflicts, discrimination complaints, restorative justice conversations, and addressing microaggressions in educational settings.

Facilitator: César Pardo, MSW

4Rs Method – Resolving Institutional and Governance Conflicts

The 4Rs Method (Recognize, Reflect, Reframe, Resolve) is introduced as a structured approach to addressing conflicts between faculty and administration, governance disputes, and policy enforcement challenges. This session focuses on recognizing the root causes of conflicts, fostering institutional reflection, reframing issues as opportunities for improvement, and collaboratively resolving disputes.

Facilitator: Belinda P. Biscoe, PhD

DESC Script – Providing Direct Feedback and Advocating for Change

The DESC Script (Describe, Express, Specify, Consequence) model is introduced as a structured method for giving direct feedback and advocating for institutional change. Participants will learn how to apply this model in faculty performance evaluations, policy recommendations, communication breakdowns, and student conduct discussions. This session emphasizes clarity, accountability, and effective advocacy techniques.

Facilitator: Anthony P. Natale, PhD, MSW

Workbook and Quizzes

Each session includes a workbook and quiz designed to reinforce key concepts and encourage practical application of the material. Participants will complete these activities independently and submit their completed workbooks and quizzes as part of the series requirements.

All five sessions will be available on demand for one year from the date of registration, allowing participants to revisit the training materials as needed. Participants who successfully complete all series requirements will be eligible to earn a digital micro-credential.

FAQs

Do you have a registration policy/discount?

Groups of 10 or more registered within a single transaction will receive a 10% discount on eligible registrations. Additional participants cannot be added to a previously completed transaction to meet the 10-person minimum or receive the group discount.

OU faculty and staff receive a 10% discount. OU employees should email swchrs@ou.edu to request the discount code.

Are the sessions live or prerecorded?

All five sessions are prerecorded and available on demand. Participants can complete the training at their own pace without attending scheduled live sessions.

How long will I have access to a course?

Participants retain access to the series for one full year from the date of purchase or registration.

What work is required to complete the course?

Participants should complete all 5 sessions (each session is 2 hours long), submit the completed workbook and quiz for each session, and submit the course evaluation. Once all of these are done, the course is considered completed.

How long do I have to complete the evaluation and earn my digital badge?

Participants have one year from the date of registration to complete the series and earn their digital badge.

When and how do I get my digital badge?

Participants must complete all five sessions, complete and submit the workbook and quizzes, and submit the final evaluation at the end of the series. Once the evaluation is submitted, staff will verify completion requirements and award the Digital Badge, through a download link provided by email.

Please note: The course evaluation and participant feedback survey serve different purposes. The evaluation assesses what participants have learned throughout the series and is required to earn the digital badge. The feedback survey allows participants to share their experience and provide suggestions for future programs.

Where do I submit my workbook?

After completing each session, participants should email their workbooks to SWCHRSsubmissions@ou.edu

JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

Stay Connected

Follow us on social media, subscribe to our SWCHRS mailing list to receive alerts, and join our learning community to stay updated on the latest webinars, events, and opportunities.

Contact Us

Have questions or need more information? Reach out to us at swchrs@ou.edu.