Mayor backs UC on civility issue

An initiative led by a University of Cincinnati professor has received praise from the leader of city government.

Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory proclaimed May as International Civility Month at city council’s weekly meeting Wednesday, May 19. Mallory presented LisaMarie Luccioni, a communications professor who spearheaded the civility campaign, with the proclamation.

“How we interact with each other is extremely important,” Mallory said. “I have made decorum and professionalism hallmarks of how business is conducted much more accomplished if we treat each other with civility and respect.”

The civility campaign also leads to a greater quality of life, Mallory said.

The purpose of Luccioni’s mission, which works in conjunction with the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI), is to spread a positive message across the globe heightening public awareness of civility.

Luccioni collaborated with UC Provost Anthony Perzigian and Mitchel Livingston, vice president for student affairs and services, on the project.

The initiative was previously presented to UC President Greg Williams, who issued a certificate of support for Luccioni’s plan. Williams became the first UC president to issue such a certificate concerning civility.
Williams and UC as a whole are supportive of Luccioni and her efforts to spread civility, said Gregory Vehr, vice president for governmental relations and university communications at UC.

“[Civility] was an idea that is hard to believe the university had not already implemented,” said Vehr, who was present at the meeting.

The proclamation comes at a timely opportunity due to the current lack of civility in many places, Vehr said.

Most proclamations are actually not announced in public meetings of city council, but rather are sent through the mail to the respective authority privately, Luccioni said.

“I give a definite nod to the mayor for publicly proclaiming May as International Civility Month,” Luccioni said.

The fact Mallory stated his support of the project in the city council meeting was also thrilling, Luccioni said.

“You read about city council in the news and you watch city council on television, but to actually be in the chambers for a proclamation from the mayor is a very exciting moment,” Luccioni said.

Luccioni also praised the students in UC’s University Honors program who are working on the four-week public relations portion of the civility campaign.

“[The proclamation] energizes and reinvigorates the students,” Luccioni said.