Resources from the Teaching High-Stakes Topics Webinar

On Friday, October 10, members of the Council of Diversity Deans, the Office of the Provost, and the Office for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs hosted a university-wide webinar on Teaching High Stakes Topics. The session invited instructors from all appointment types—including graduate teaching assistants—to engage in thoughtful discussion about teaching in complex and challenging contexts.

The webinar brought together representatives from units across the university, including the Employee Assistance Program, College of Arts and Letters’ Student Wellness, University Ombudsperson, Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation, Office of General Counsel, Office for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs, and University Marketing and Communications.

The program explored what “high-stakes” teaching means in today’s classrooms—where teaching and learning are deeply layered and often subject to increased public scrutiny.

For students, “high-stakes” can mean engaging with material that touches on identity, power, or belonging.

For instructors, it can mean navigating uncertainty about how teaching choices will be understood or supported.

For the university, it can mean responding to external pressures that test our commitments to academic freedom and inclusive learning.

Acknowledging this range of stakes highlights both the care and courage this work requires and situates our shared questions about protection, clarity, and responsibility within the broader landscape of higher education. Below you’ll find resources from the webinar, organized by category, to support your continued reflection and practice.