"Civility Begins With Me! Everyone Has Worth and Dignity."
San José-Evergreen Community College District is promoting the vital concept of civility in our educational community. The C3 (Culture Climate Civility) Civility Task Force, representing all District constituencies (Students, Faculty, Classified Staff, and Administrators), has developed a comprehensive Civility Statement, adopted by the District Board of Trustees 10-8-13, and is now engaged in the implementation of these ideals.
Civility is a model for respect of different traditions and for diversity. Civility underlies respect for individuals and asks such questions as: How and why does one person respect another? What are the responsibilities of an individual in a shared public sphere? Civility and civil discourse invite people to discuss and to listen; it is not used to limit but rather to encourage the respectful exchange of ideas.
Civility is not suppression of free speech but a valuing of the humanity of others and a consideration of the rights of everyone to practice free speech in a fair and equitable manner. Disagreement is welcome when expressed in a spirit of mutual respect and understanding; opinion is based on fact and relies on integrity.
Civility in the classroom is conducive to learning. When a student feels comfortable s/he will be treated with respect by the instructor and by others, the student will be more willing to participate in class and develop a sense of shared academic community. Beyond the classroom, each everyday campus interaction adds to an overall perception of college climate experienced by students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
Some faculty members include in their course syllabi, where appropriate, a statement describing expectations of civility and mutual respect in the classroom which we support and encourage.
The Civility Task Force requests constituent bodies in our District who support the Civility Statement to recognize the importance of civility as a campus-wide responsibility. We ask that communication among all segments of the college model respect for one another.
We ask that committees and groups who meet regularly to place on their agenda a brief form of the SJECCD Civility Statement:
Civility begins with me! Everyone has worth and dignity!
Civility represents a larger purpose of the college, developing problem solving skills in a diverse population, promoting mutual respect, enhancing students' educational and social development, and making the college a better place to be.
Respectfully,
San José-Evergreen Community College District C3 Civility Task Force