Let’s Talk About Campus Civility…

1. Let’s Talk About Campus Civility… Louise Tyo, Director Student and Family Transitions ~ SUNY Potsdam 32nd Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience Orlando, Florida February 23-26, 2013 How SUNY Potsdam Began the Dialogue on Bystander Intervention

2. SUNY Potsdam Demographics Enrollment:Undergraduates: 3,988Graduates: 435 First-Year Students: 90060% Women, 40% MenApplicants Admitted: 63%Average GPA: 8815:1 Student/Faculty Ratio History: Established in 1816, Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges! One of 64 SUNY campuses Population: (Village of Potsdam) ~10,000Nearby Cities:Ottawa, ONMontreal, QCSyracuse, NY

3. County Population by Race, 2010 Census Counts Percentages* • Color American Indian and Alaska native alone =1.01% • Asian alone =0.97% • Black or African American alone =2.16% • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific native alone =0.03% • Some other race alone = 0.60% • Two or more races =1.37% • White alone =93.85% *http://censusviewer.com/county/NY/St.%20Lawrence

4. A New Majority • Institutions of higher education have and will continue to see a change in demographics as our country witnesses “A New Majority” emerge as American population figures become more diversified (Gardner and Jewel 252) • These cohorts include, but are not limited to, students of color, first-generation students, and students from lower socioeconomic status • Wynetta Lee proposes “The best pathway to student empowerment is seeking the meaningful participation of students in the institutional planning process.” (103)

5. 2010 – 2011 Master Plan Goals/Campus Initiatives • Several campus-wide long term initiatives were a result of fulfilling two Master Plan Goals 1.) Increase diversity 2.) Implement social justice programs

6. 2010 - 2013 Programs Implemented • First-Year Success Seminar 2010 Common Read: Choosing Civility: The Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct (Forni, 2002) • Bias Response Team/Hotline • Potsdam CommUN1TY of One • Building One Community Through Bystander Intervention • SUNY Potsdam Diversity YouTube Videos • Civility in the Workplace: Positive, Polite, Productive, and Professional (Year-long events sponsored by United University Professors and Human Resources)

7. Bias Response Team/ Hotline • Charge: Making SUNY Potsdam’s commitment to inclusion, civility, justice and diversity clear through action • Mission: In an effort to ensure SUNY Potsdam continues to provide an open and positive community atmosphere for all students, faculty, staff and community members, the College has formed a Bias Response Team to address any reports of harassment or discrimination. • Outcome: Trained faculty and staff familiar with campus procedures and processes who serve as advocates for those who believe they have experienced harassment or discrimination

9. Potsdam CommUN1TY of One • Diversity in Action Coalition (DIAC) and Office of Public Affairs created a brand seen throughout campus and on our website • DIAC provided stickers to all new students at orientation • Be Ethical And Responsible (BEAR) – program housed in our Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards has coordinated several trainings; recently organized a community-wide “Civility Sit-In”

10. Louise and Marie Tyo 2012 Civility-Sit-In

11. Bystander Intervention at Summer Orientation • Dr. Kelly Bonnar from our Community Heath Department mentored students and presented “Community Standards: Building One Community Through Bystander Intervention” • Presented at each one of our six summer orientation sessions reaching approximately 800 first-year students

12. Potsdam YouTube Videos • Due to our increased numbers in diversity, both in faculty hires and enrolled students, we have seen both positive and negative reactions on campus and in the larger community. • Fall 2011 - increase in reported incidents of harassment, bias, overall lack of civility both on and off campus • Spring 2012 – several faculty, staff, students worked together to create a video series (SUNY Council for University Advancement “Best in Category” Award Winner) • FYSS instructors showed clips in class to begin the discussion on Bystander Intervention

13. Further questions to consider… • As we see an increase in veteran students and adult learners – how will the conversation on civility evolve; how will program needs change? • In this day and age of smartphones and “instant gratification” technology, how do we address the increasing lack of interpersonal skills/lack of civility? Final Q and A?

14. Contact Information Louise Tyo, Director Student and Family Transitions tyola@potsdam.edu (315) 267-2735 www.potsdam.edu/support/firstyear

15. Works Cited “Bias Response Team” SUNY Potsdam, n. d., Web. 15 Feb. 2013. “Population of St. Lawrence County, NY” CensusViewer, n.d., Web. 16 Feb. 2013. Community Standards: Building One Community Thruough Bystander Intervention. Potsdam: Community Heath Department, 2012. Print. “Diversity is important to SUNY Potsdam” SUNY Potsdam. <http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSUNYPotsdam> Fori, P.M. Choosing Civility: The Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2002. Print.

16. Works Cited Gardner, John and Jewler, Jerome. Your College Experience: Strategies for SuccessBelmont: Wadsworth Group, 2004. Print. Lee, Wynette. “Enhancing the First-Year Experience of African Americans.” Transforming the First Year of College for Students of Color . The First-Experience Monograph Series No. 38 (2004): 93-103. Print. “Student Profile” SUNY Potsdam, n.d., Web. 16 Feb. 2013. “SUNY Potsdam begins dialogue on race and racism for Black History Month 2012” SUNY Potsdam <http://www.youtube.com/ user/TheSUNYPotsdam>

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