Civility on Campus

1. Civility on Campus Susan Harrison July 14, 2006 ASLC

2. Gaining a Background December, 2005 • Civility discussed – A&S chairs • Committee members solicited January, 2006 • Civility Conference attended • Flipping the Switch: Encouraging Civility on Campus at American University • PaperClip Communications

3. Forming a Team • 10 Faculty and 1 Instructional Academic Staff • 6 College of Arts & Sciences • 1 College of Business • 2 College of Education & Human Sciences • 2 College of Nursing & Health Sciences • 1 Associate Dean: Arts & Sciences • 2 Academic Staff • Housing • Orientation/Advising • 2 Students • 1 Team Leader • Interim Associate Dean of Student Development

4. Preparing for Meetings Only 6 meetings held KEY - • Prepare and distribute materials in advance • Use a detailed agenda • Include questions • Include timed events

5. Charging the Committee Charged by Associate Vice Chancellor • Develop goals and action plan • Develop an understanding • Make recommendations • Develop a plan for continuation

6. Starting the Process February 17th • Charge given • Goals reviewed • Approaches considered • Questions answered • Timeline distributed

7. Continuing the Meetings February 28th • Video discussed • Ideas shared • Goals & “Civility” concept reviewed • Method for being inclusive determined • Students to be surveyed • In the classroom • On the web

8. Collecting the Data • Script developed • Web Survey designed • Classes interviewed • Web data collected

9. Making the Point • Awareness raised • Ideas welcomed • Data gathered

10. Answering the Questions • What words or phrases come to mind when you think about civility? • What characteristics of civil behavior should be exhibited by both students and instructors in a classroom learning environment? • What characteristics of civil behavior should be exhibited by participants in other learning environments such as casual conversations, group deliberations, Desire-2-Learn discussions, performance events, email exchanges, and athletic events? • What characteristics of civil behavior should be exhibited in residence halls by students, RAs, and hall directors or by neighbors in the community? • What do you think of the idea of considering civility as a part of a liberal education?

11. Organizing the Results • Respecting students • Respecting teachers • Respecting one another • Respecting roommates • Tabulated results • Incivility examples

12. Respecting Students Teachers – Showing respect for the students … • start on time • speak clearly and loudly • establish an atmosphere where… • show interest by actually listening • react in a positive way • adapt for varying learning rates/styles

13. Holding March Meetings March 14th • Civility statements reviewed • Classroom responses discussed • Input sources determined • Slogan ideas shared • Name decided • Campus Civility Team

14. Holding another One March 28th • Update given • Survey finalized • Slogan decided • Excellence through Civility • Roll out discussed • Team divided

15. Dividing the Work • Educational brochure • Liberal Arts connections • Syllabus information • Orientation skit • Web site and links

16. Reviewing the Work April 18th – Group updates • Group updates given • Educational brochure ready • Syllabus information ready • Web site under construction

17. Presenting the Results April 25th • Survey results discussed • Reports heard • Presentation decided • Assessment methods determined

18. Wrapping up the Semester May 9th • Celebration held • Web site revealed • Survey taken • Future plans discussed • Speakers • Brown bags • Contests • Civility day or week

19. SHOW ORIENTATION SKIT

20. SEE WEB SITE

21. SURVEY RESULTS

22. THANKS