The University of St. Thomas has launched a mulitipronged effort to address the growing lack of civility in U.S. society. The school is raising money for an endowed chair in civil discourse and has started a pilot academic program on the topic.

It's also announced plans for a lecture series that College of Arts and Science Dean Dr. Marisa Kelly said "will strive to promote discussion of important ideas without the aggression, anger and obstinacy that often cloud such matters in today's world," according to a news release. Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham will kick off the series Feb. 16, lecturing on "Conflict and Civility in the Age of Obama."

We have a nomination for the second lecturer: U.S. Bancorp CEO Richard Davis.

The Minneapolis banker met with President Obama Monday, less than 24 hours after the nation's chief executive used "60 Minutes" to complain about "fat-cat bankers" who have opposed regulation and pocketed multimillion-dollar bonuses while getting taxpayer aid. In interviews after the meeting, Davis chose civility when a lesser banker might have opted for aggression, anger and obstinacy. He praised the president as a good listener and said there was plenty of common ground on the key issues: small-business lending, executive pay and regulatory reform.

None of this was out of character for Davis, but it was refreshing to see a class act on a national stage. What a stark contrast from the heads of the three biggest financial firms -- Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup -- who never made it to the White House, blaming flight delays due to fog. (Note to the three MIA Wall Streeters: Amtrak is a charming alternative to air travel.)

On one of the major agenda items -- spurring more lending activity -- Davis told the Star Tribune's Chris Serres that his bank would take a second look at every rejected small-business loan. He also said he would discuss the second-look lending strategy in his role as chairman of Financial Services Roundtable, which represents the nation's largest financial companies. That's an excellent PR message, but it's hard to believe that the nation's banks were waiting for a green light from Washington to try to make more money.

Even before the "60 Minutes" scolding and presidential lecture, U.S. Bancorp and its competitors were very much interested in making loans. The state of the U.S. economy -- not disinterest -- has been holding back lending activity, and as the recovery picks up steam lending to small- to medium-sized firms will grow.

A number of recent economic reports have been upbeat. The unemployment rate appears to be at or near a peak, the housing market is getting healthier, and some key corporate earnings have been better than expected. Obama's plea for more lending activity will be answered, but that would have happened without Monday's meeting.

Regulatory reform is another matter, and civility may be harder to come by as that discussion heats up early next year. Davis again struck the right note when he said the bankers who met with Obama agreed that they -- rather than their lobbyists -- need to be more active in the reform process as the debate moves from the House to the Senate.

For more than a year, this page has called for regulatory reform that would provide smarter financial oversight without curbing competition and innovation in the marketplace. We've noted that former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson asked his team in early 2007 to come up with a modern model to replace an obviously outdated regulatory system that has proved its ineffectiveness.

The wait continues, and if respected bankers such as Davis can provide industry leadership -- not to mention enlightened discourse -- they have much to add to the debate over how reform can best be accomplished.