The first shot in the war for campus civility will be fired in … New Jersey?
Not exactly, but faculty members and students at Rutgers University are embarking this week on a two-year effort to “cultivate small acts of courtesy and compassion” on the New Brunswick campus. Project Civility, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports, will “explore politeness and mannerliness” to foster respect at Rutgers.
Two years ago, Pier M. Forni, a professor of Italian literature at the Johns Hopkins University, gamely played along as a Chronicle reporter pelted him with rude questions about his own institution’s Civility Initiative. On Wednesday Mr. Forni will speak at Rutgers as the university begin its journey into the politeness zone.
Throughout the year, Rutgers will explore the issue with discussions on such topics as bullying, sportsmanship, politics, and technological change.
Kathleen Hull, a faculty member who is coordinating the Rutgers effort, tells the Inquirer that being civil is more than just demonstrating good manners.
“Living together more civilly means living together more peacefully, more kindly, and more justly,” she says. Rutgers, Ms. Hull hopes, will become a “warmer, closer community” as a result of Project Civility. —Don Troop
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6 Responses to An Oasis of Niceness
ksledge - September 27, 2010 at 4:23 pm
it might sound touchy-feely, but creating a civil work environment will also encourage more productivity.
jesselemisch - September 27, 2010 at 4:39 pm
These campaigns always end up devaluing dissent
wilke - September 27, 2010 at 5:18 pm
There is dissent and there is “rude, obnoxious and provocative.”Consider that everyone carries some kind of “baggage” to work with them every day — an ill or dying loved one, personal health problems, memories of a horrendous childhood — yet they come to work and attempt to do the best they can. That workplace should, at the very least, be a civil place. I don’t even care if my co-workers have to fake it at times, I know I do.
badger74 - September 27, 2010 at 6:08 pm
As a former long time NJ resident, I find this idea comical beyond belief. NJ is one of the last bastions of honesty in feelings/expression in the US. Now they want people to be as phony as the rest of the US?? No frikking way!
bradladd - September 28, 2010 at 8:04 am
Way to go Rutgers! As an alum who has been working the last dozen years on “bridge-building”, I have found that civility does not mean just playing nice, but being able to speak one’s truth with just enough doubt to allow another person to speak his/hers. The result is usually finding common ground and agreement in surprising places and ultimately moving all of us forward. It’s a win-win attitude. But it needs to start with the establishment of a culture of civility. Recognizing that this is not just a class or an academic exercise, but a culture shift that can take years to move ever-so-slightly is important. Maybe RU can show the nation that we from NJ – who are not afraid to share our opinions – can do so without needing to beat down those we disagree with. Now let’s get Jon Stewart for the graduation speaker.
amelie - September 29, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Bridging the chasm. It could mean more productivity, more and better ideas, improvedmorale and health for all participants, i.e. faculty, students, and staff. It’s true; everyoneis fighting their own battle. Add to that the battle of your superiors run through yournervous system every day until it is indistinguishably your problem. Civility isn’t phony or weak. It’s restoring the basic tenets of society in an environmentwhere nothing is what it seems and the policies protect individuals who do not have theinstitution’s best interests at heart.