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Essays onTeaching ExcellenceToward the Best in the Academy

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Academic Civility Begins in the ClassroomRoger G. Baldwin, TheCollege of William and Mary

Incidents of hate speech, physical and emotional harassment, and offensivecommunication via the Internet,regrettably, are far too prevalent on collegecampuses (Jensen, 1995; Leatherman, 1996). More subtle forms

of intolerancetoward controversial ideas, schools of thought, or various minority groups arealso evident inhigher education. Such breaches in academic civility mayreflect conditions in the larger society. A U.S.

News and World Reportpoll found that 89 percent of Americans believe thatincivility is a major social

problem (Marks, 1996). Even though acts ofdisrespect and harassment may reflect a trend throughout ourculture, suchinsidious practices should be addressed forcefully on college and universitycampuses.Frequent reports of intolerant incidents in the Chronicleof Higher Education and the popular

pressdemonstrate that incivility within the academic community is too damaging toignore.Recognizing thisthreat, some higher education institutions have triedto create a more civil atmosphere by imposing speech

codes or other policiesintended to regulate and humanize communication and other interpersonalrelations.In many cases, these efforts have been struck down by courts orproven very difficult to enforce

(Heinemann, 1996).Such restrictive policiesseem to attack the symptoms but not the sources of theproblem. Some criticsargue that such policies "may actually contribute to an atmosphere ofintolerance, and

to an impression that some basic rights can be short-circuitedto protect others" (People for the AmericanWay, 1995, p. 1). Thephenomenon of academic incivility is so complex that it demands to be addressedat

numerous places within the academic community. Perhaps the most logical, butlittle used, point ofintervention is the college classroom. This essay arguesthat promoting civility should be a universal goal of

higher education that isaddressed in every appropriate college course.

Sources of Incivility on CampusIntolerant behavior on campus is not a new phenomenon. The "PolitenessMovement" established at the

University of Edinburgh during the ScottishEnlightenment tried to counter religious intolerance. Advocatesof politeness"sought to establish ... civilized discourse and due regard for anopponent's point of view"

(Nordin, 1991, p. 17). Many factors seem toaccount for academic incivility in the late 20th century.Increasing diversityon campus brings together persons who do not share the same mores, values, ormodes

of communication. Similarly, there seem to be growing gaps among studentsand faculty as disciplinary

fields become more specialized, narrowly focused,and esoteric. A sense of community is also diminishedin large and transientinstitutions where people often do not know, let alone respect and trust,persons whowork or live in close proximity (Leatherman, 1996)Civility: ACore Academic Value

Respectful discussion and debate are at the heart of the academic enterprise.Advocating civility does notsymbolize a retreat from passionate argument. Onthe contrary, it acknowledges that meaningful and

constructive dialoguerequires a certain degree of mutual respect, willingness to listen, andtolerance foropposing points of view. Classroom discussions, like any academicdebate, should follow norms of decency

and effective communication. Debatersshould attack ideas but never individuals who hold opposing views(Leatherman,1996). Although these guidelines seem like common sense, evidence of incivilityon campus

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suggests that they are not universally held or practiced. It appearsthat higher education must address the

issue of civility directly if it wishesto foster an environment conducive to discussion, debate, and learning.

Promoting Civility in the ClassroomIt is in the classroom that students first encounter treasured values of theacademy (e.g., the critical review

of ideas , support of opinions withevidence, openness to alternative viewpoints) and begin to practice themasapprentice scholars, emerging professionals, and good citizens. Classes thatestablish norms for respectful

dialogue and reasoned debate can empowerstudents to argue constructively, grow through rigorous

intellectual exchange,and prepare them for life in a complex, pluralistic world.No simple formulaorprescription for promoting academic civility can be applied to all collegeclassrooms. Varied educationalstrategies are required to develop an atmosphereof civility within different disciplines, educational levels,

and amongdiffering types of students. Educators may choose from several strategies thatcan foster civilityin their classrooms and ideally across their campuses.These include:

Developing a statement of values and goals. At the beginning of the term, it isbeneficial tocommunicate how important civil behavior is to the success of a course.

Averbal statement from the professor coupled with a section on respectfuldiscussionand debate in the syllabus can clarify up front the critical role ofcivil discourse in the

teaching and learning process. An explicit statement onthe necessity of an

environment tolerant of difference is especially importantin subject areas thataddress controversial issues. Virtually no academic fieldis exempt. Courses in thearts and humanities, biological and physicalsciences, social sciences, and

professional fields all confront "hotbutton" issues that cause people to line uppassionately on differentsides.

Drafting ground rules for dialogue. Ineffective efforts to impose speech codes

oncampuses illustrate the futility of rules that are implemented without a senseofownership among the targeted groups. Some time invested early in the life ofa

course to discuss and develop ground rules for communication (oral, written,andelectronic) among class members can enhance acceptance of guidelinesdesigned to

insure the respectful dialogue essential to open minded analysisand learning.

Selecting appropriateinstructional strategies.A variety of strategies can help students

acquire the values, attitudes, andskills that underlie academic civility. They will bemost effective whencoupled with an explicit statement of classroom values and

clearly definedguidelines for respectful dialogue. Such strategies include thefollowing.

A. Staging debates. Sessions that clarify opposing points of view andbuildcredible cases for contrasting positions can enlighten students to thecomplexity of

controversial issues like genetic engineering or environmental pollution.Whenguided carefully, debates can promote critical thinking, tolerance foralternative

perspectives, and respect for persons who hold differing opinions-- the key building block of academiccivility. B.Playing andreversing roles. Like debates,

assumingdistinct roles (e.g., an unwed, pregnant teenager, an opponent of abortion)canclarify the merits of diverse stands on complex topics and humanize those

withdiffering opinions. This approach requires students to analyze informationandattitudes that they might typically reject out of hand when confronted with

acontroversial issue. The purpose of role playing is not necessarily tochangestudents' minds on a topic like the clear cutting of forests but to enhancetheir

ability to look at issues from multiple perspectives and, in the process,to develop

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tolerance for persons who hold differentviews. C.Employing case studies. Long

used in business schools to address complexproblems, the use of cases is also anideal technique to foster academiccivility. They enable students to look at

multifaceted issues within theirlarger context. For example, a case focusing on hatespeech could be used in acommunications class or a case on sexual harassment could

be used in asociology course to alert students to the sources of such behaviors,themotives of the perpetrators, and the feelings of the victim(s). When

utilizedeffectively, case studies encourage students to develop alternative

scenariosthat prevent or resolve problems effectively. Instructional strategiesthatenable students to examine provocative topics holistically promotethedevelopment of higher level thinking and tolerance of ambiguity that lead tocivil

behavior in a pluralistic world. D.Critiquingnegative models. Negative examplescan be apowerful teaching tool (Heinemann, 1996). Asking students to analyze

videotapesof intolerant practices or written examples of dogmatic thinking canpromotepersonal reflection and behavior change. For instance,HigherSuperstition

(Gross & Levitt, 1994), arecent stinging attack on postmodern views of science,could be used in sciencecourses to examine collegial communication.

Conclusion

Creative college teachers can expand this list of strategies to promotecivility in the college classroom. Anypractices that encourage students toreflect on their own beliefs, gather relevant data to inform theiropinions,remain open to alternative positions, and respect others who hold differingbeliefs will enhance the

quality of dialogue in the classroom. Above all,professors who model respect for their students and open-mindedness towardalternative points of view will promote respect and tolerance among theirstudents. No

doubt, when the habits of civility are nurtured in the classroom,they will gradually permeate theinstitutional culture as a whole.ReferencesGross, P. R. & Levitt, N. (1994).HigherSuperstition. Baltimore:

Johns Hopkins University Press.Heinemann,R. L. (1996), Campus-Wide Communication Incivility in theBasic Course: ACase Study. (ERIC Document ReproductionService No. ED 404 701)Jensen, R. (1995,

February 17). Civility and"flaming" on the Internet. [Letter to the editor]. Chronicleof Higher Education, p.B3.Leatherman, C.(1996, March 8) Whatever happened to civility in academe? Chronicleof Higher

Education, A21.Marks, J. (1996,April 22). The American uncivil wars: How crude, rude, and obnoxiousbehaviorhas replaced good manners and why that hurts our politics and culture. U.S.News and World

Report, 67-72.Nordin, V. D.(1991) Civility on Campus: Harassment Codes vs. Free Speech. (ERICDocument Reproduction Service No. ED 339303)People for the American Way. (1995)Hate in the ivory

tower: Asurvey of intolerance on college campuses and academia's response. Unpublished report.Washington, D.C.: People forthe American Way.

This publication is part of an 8-part series of essaysoriginally published by The Professional &

Organizational DevelopmentNetwork in Higher Education. For more information about the POD Network,browseto http://lamar.colostate.edu/~ckfgill orhttp://www.podweb.org