"Kindness is being friendly, generous, and considerate to others and yourself. Being kind often requires courage and strength, as it involves the willingness to celebrate and give attention to someone else. It is also about giving honest feedback when doing so is helpful to the other person. Moreover, kindness includes acting and speaking in a compassionate way to others and yourself. However, do not confuse kindness with weakness. You can be kind and still have boundaries. It is not a replacement for avoiding difficult conversations or standing up for yourself. Just be kind when you are in those situations. Consider, 'how would I want to be treated if I was in X situation?'"
Yes, kindness is our thing in Student Affairs at Michigan Tech. November is normally World Kindness Day, and
one of the last decisions of 2022 made by the Student Affairs Leadership Team was
to extend ongoing and intentional kindness into the entire year of 2023.
Throughout the year, we will intentionally, unapologetically, and unabashedly talk about, promote, embrace, celebrate, model, teach, and make decisions anchored in kindness. We ask the campus community to add other voices and acts of kindness to our efforts.
The idea of kindness can also be integrated into class activities, residence hall conversations, retreats, leadership meetings, editorial pieces, communication designs, press releases, visual images, staff meetings, and RSO student activities with very little to no impact on what we’re already doing as an institution. We can also build on and highlight existing efforts (e.g., charitable and service efforts occurring especially within student organizations).
Who can participate in this initiative?
Everyone can participate in The Kindness at Michigan Tech Initiative.
How can we model and celebrate kindness at Tech?
Resources Related to Kindness
Research Related to Kindness
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of performing acts of kindness
- Compassion and the science of kindness
- Happy people become happier through kindness
Blogs and Other Resources Related to Kindness
Monthly Dates for Some Extra Special Kindness
Free HuskyUP Posters
The HuskyUP posters are available to anyone. Inspired by President Koubek and Board Chair Jeff Littman, Student Affairs partnered with University Relations and Enrollment, Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, and the Provost’s Office to develop a “HuskyUP” informational campaign that promotes respect and civility in our interactions with each other.
The major initiative included creating several HuskyUP posters and yard signs to be posted around campus each with a unique meaning on what HuskyUP means. HuskyUP means:
- Respect: Treat others with respoect and others will respect you.
- Belonging: You belong here. We are all Huskies.
- Community: Alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much.
- Kindness: We rise by lifting others.
- Caring: Just treat people with compassion.
- Family: What divides up pales in comparison to what unites us.
- Listening: One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.
- Civility: Civility is the art and act of caring for others.
To request free posters for your office or yard signs, please contact deanofstudents@mtu.edu. Yard signs will return to campus when the snow stops accumulating. Supplies are limited. For the posters, you may request one poster, multiple posters, or a full pack of eight posters which includes one of each of the above.
Share Your Thoughts
If you wish to share thoughts or resources about promoting, celebrating, and modeling the Kindness at Michigan Tech initiative, please contact deanofstudents@mtu.edu.