X

Civility sit-in to be hosted by SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam

Posted 10/11/12

POTSDAM -- SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam are joining together for a unique show of solidarity -- the first-ever simultaneous Civility Sit-In. Students, faculty and staff from both campuses will sit …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Civility sit-in to be hosted by SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam

Posted

POTSDAM -- SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam are joining together for a unique show of solidarity -- the first-ever simultaneous Civility Sit-In.

Students, faculty and staff from both campuses will sit down to demonstrate their commitment to civility, by protesting intolerance, ignorance and disrespect. Then, participants at both colleges will stand up together, in a display of common cause and purpose.

The joint event is sponsored by two initiatives with the same goals on both campuses: SUNY Canton's CARES Committee, and the BEAR @ Potsdam Project.

CARES stands for Character, Acts of Kindness, Respect, Environment and Spirituality. BEAR @ Potsdam is short for Be Ethical And Responsible at SUNY Potsdam. Both organizations support efforts to create campus environments rich in courtesy and respect for others.

The simultaneous Civility Sit-Ins are scheduled for noon on Thursday, Oct. 18, on both campuses. At SUNY Canton, the event will be held at the Roselle Academic Plaza. At SUNY Potsdam, the event will be held at Minerva Plaza.

There will be campus speakers at both events, and students will decorate T-shirts proclaiming what they "won't stand for" at their college.

"SUNY Potsdam is one community, bound together by respect and integrity. We are dedicated to upholding the values in our Potsdam Pledge, and encouraging our students to help lead the way for all concerning civility. This unique event will offer an opportunity for the SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Canton communities to show our neighbors in the North Country what we stand for," said Dean of Students Chip Morris.

SUNY Canton's Dean of Students, Courtney B. Bish said, "The Civility Sit-In will showcase the importance of respect and tolerance within our campus community and will be the first of many events sponsored through our CARES Project. We are proud to co-host this event with SUNY Potsdam thought their BEAR @ Potsdam initiative, and are looking forward to the student support at the event and future collaborations with the other area colleges."

To end the sit-ins, the colleges' two mascots -- Max C. Bear and Roody Roo -- will encourage everyone to rise at once, to show that they stand for civility.

"It is so exciting to be promoting the concept of civility with SUNY Canton. This Sit-In shows the North Country community that we are institutions dedicated to making the communities both on- and off-campus the best they can be," said Annette Robbins, director of student conduct and community standards at SUNY Potsdam.