About Our Office

Conflict Resolution Overview

Informal Options

Formal Options

Initiatives

Policy and Procedures

Reports

Initiatives

1. Exceptional Students

• The Student Conflict Resolution Center recently conducted a survey of 10,000 graduate students at the University regarding their experience with offensive, intimidating, or hostile conduct that interfered with their work or study.  Approximately 20% returned the survey.  Out of the approximately 2000 responses, about 35% reported experiencing or observing harassing behavior.  Many responders considered leaving the University because of this experience.  Office for Conflict Resolution staff are working closely with SCRC to develop action steps to address this behavior.  A work group promoting academic civility has been meeting over the summer of 2008 with the goal of developing some action steps in 2008-09 to impact the culture for graduate students in a transformative way.

• Carolyn Chalmers teaches a graduate-level course in Mediation Training that is jointly offered by the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and the Law School.

• Jean Henrichsen, Program Coordinator, provides ombuds services to students who experience problems in their University employment.  This problem-solving work helps students continue with their academic program despite upsetting employment situations or unexpected loss of income.

2. Exceptional Faculty and Staff

• The heart of the work we do is to assist individuals and small groups manage conflicts in their workplaces.  This work is on a case-by-case basis and is customized to the needs of individuals and groups.  We believe that the availability of conflict management services on a “just-in-time” basis significantly contributes to the satisfaction of University faculty and staff with their University employment.  The faculty’s perceived need for effective problem solving and conflict management is reflected in the Pulse Survey, exit surveys with faculty, and other opinion data.

• In 2008-2009, the Office for Conflict Resolution will begin to participate in educational programming for new faculty and department heads through Vice Provost Arlene Carney’s office.  We have been invited to present at one of the new faculty lunches and to write an article for the new faculty newsletter.  In addition, we have been asked to participate in a panel presentation to new department heads and chairs.  We will continue to participate in training programs for new supervisors and new Human Resources staff.

• The Office for Conflict Resolution is part of a new initiative to develop a conflict management curriculum for University faculty and staff.  This is a joint project of the Graduate School, the Provost’s office, and Human Resources.  In the past, our office has planned and presented workshops on conflict management for faculty, staff and students.  The goal of this initiative is to take our educational programming on conflict management to a new level—with a more sophisticated and thorough curriculum that meets the pedagogical expectations of faculty and professional staff.

3. Exceptional Organization

• The Senate Committee on Faculty Affairs charged a work group to explore the need for ombuds services for faculty.  The Office for Conflict Resolution was a key resource for this work group.  The work group made preliminary recommendations to SCFA in May 2008 that a faculty ombuds position be established in close collaboration with the Office for Conflict Resolution.  The Office for Conflict Resolution will be actively involved in additional recommendations to SCFA and the FCC in the fall of 2008.

4. Increasing Service and Productivity

• Our office is committed to rapid response and to personal service.  It is a sign of respect to the people who contact us for service—and is particularly important since lack of respect by others often is the catalyst for their complaint.

5. Metrics to Assess Effectiveness and Impact

• The office conducts an annual satisfaction survey of all participants in processes managed by the office.  The survey is anonymous.  It will be revised for use in FY 2009.

• An annual report on the work of the office adds another perspective on performance.  It includes statistics on the meetings conducted in both the informal and formal processes, the issues raised, the employee groups who use the services and the outcomes.