Although most Philadelphians would say the city's recent ranking as the nation's eighth-most-polite city is a stretch, there's little question that the University is generally a pleasantly civil place.
The city's ranking, released by etiquette expert Marjabelle Young Stewart late last week, was greeted by native Philadelphians and newcomers alike with skepticism and, at times, hoots.
After all, this is the city where Santa Claus was pelted with a snowball and most people are ready to let fly a "You talkin'-a-me?" at the drop of a hat.
But in interviews this week on campus, the University comes off as refreshingly different. Students and staff are characterized as polite, genial even.
College sophomore Michael Alster, who works the desk at Fisher-Hassenfeld College House, has seen the good and the bad.
"Generally, kids are nice," he said.
But when asked whether Philadelphians were as polite as the campus community, he at first hesitated, then responded: "Overall, no."
Still, simple courtesy seems to be common on campus.
Julie Van Deusen -- the University's diving coach, who also works as an attendant in the weightroom -- said that members seem to be polite in general.
Those using the weightroom are generally affable when reminded to re-rack weights, but can become defensive, she said, when told of policies prohibiting wearing jeans while working out or rules requiring bags and jackets to remain in lockers outside the weight-training area.
These anecdotal examples are precisely the ones on which the rankings are based.
Stewart -- who has published books such as Commonsense Etiquette: A Guide to Gracious, Simple Manners for the Twenty-First Century -- ranks the nation's cities with the help of thousands of letters and e-mails that she receives each year from around the country.
Charleston, S.C., came out on top of the list -- its tenth number-one ranking -- boosting the southern state's reputation for friendliness.
Ayodele Poweli, an employee at the Energy Zone -- the fitness-themed food and smoothie purveyor inside the Pottruck Center fitness facility -- opined that her native Atlanta is perhaps more polite than Philadelphia.
Indeed, Philadelphia's politeness has its limitations.
People using the weight room appeared to be generally well-behaved and there were no arguments about someone hogging a machine. But over an hour of observation, not a single person wiped down the equipment after use, despite signs on every wall admonishing members to do so.
