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University of Utah Launches $400K‑A‑Year 'Dignity Index' to Score Political Speech

06:55 PM, 12/05/2025
University of Utah Launches $400K‑A‑Year 'Dignity Index' to Score Political Speech

The University of Utah has launched the privately funded Dignity Index, an eight‑point scale designed to rate tone in political and social disagreements. The university estimates the program will cost about $400,000 annually for equipment and personnel. Developed with nonprofit Project UNITE and expanded from a 2022 pilot, the Index now has initiatives in 25 states and a youth edition for schools. Officials say participation is voluntary and the goal is to reduce contempt while upholding free expression.

University of Utah Launches Dignity Index

The University of Utah has formalized a program called the Dignity Index, a tool that rates how statements sound during political and social disagreements on an eight‑point scale. The university says the initiative—privately funded—will cost about $400,000 a year to cover equipment and staff.

What the Index Measures

According to university materials, the Index runs from ONE (which indicates total contempt for the other side) to EIGHT (which reflects treating everyone with dignity, regardless of disagreement). The Index is intended to quantify tone and promote more constructive public conversation without curtailing freedom of expression.

Origins and Scope

The Dignity Index was developed by the nonprofit Project UNITE and piloted in 2022, when the tool was used to score political speech during Utah’s congressional midterm elections. Tami Pyfer, chief external affairs officer at the University of Utah and a co‑creator of the Index, says the project began as a pilot to establish validity and has since expanded to initiatives with touch points in 25 states.

Youth Edition and Education Uses

Project UNITE has produced a youth edition of the Dignity Index designed for K–12 settings. That version gives concrete examples for each point on the scale—for example, a One might be “We have to hurt those people; they deserve it,” while an Eight is, “Each one of us is precious and irreplaceable, so we should treat each other with dignity, no matter what.”

Meghan Monroe, senior program associate for K–12 education at Project UNITE, says the youth edition is intended to integrate with existing practices such as active listening, empathy training, restorative practices, and inclusive resources to foster open dialogue and rebuild relationships in school communities.

University Justification and Safeguards

“We care deeply about our students, patients, society and world, and recognize the inherent dignity of all people,” said Natalie Gochnour, director of the Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. She also emphasized that the university affirms freedom of expression and the pursuit of truth as non‑negotiable rights.

University officials say the Dignity Initiative is privately funded, participation is entirely voluntary, and the Index is intended to reduce contempt and encourage constructive speech rather than to limit expression.

What To Watch For

Observers will likely watch how the Index is applied in political contexts and in classrooms, whether it affects public discourse or policy, and how the university balances measurements of tone with strong protections for free speech.

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