Training Evaluation Tool #1: Mediator Selection Checklist

What Questions May be Addressed by this Measure?

The Mediator Selection Checklist is for use in assessing whether mediators are representative of the campus population. It identifies pertinent demographics to think about when selecting mediators to participate in training. Having mediators that are representative of the population they are serving is a crucial factor in successful mediation programs.

How Do I Use This Measure?

The list of demographic information presented identifies the standard categories to consider; it is not exhaustive and does not include all categories or subcategories. This is deliberate so that you can adapt it to the circumstances of your particular campus. If available, select demographic categories utilized by other administrative offices on campus. This ensures uniformity.

First, collect information on demographics (e.g., number students, faculty, staff; percent male/female) for the unit to which you are interested in comparing your mediators. For example, if you wish to have a cadre of mediators that is representative of the entire campus, get demographic information for the whole campus. This could be obtained from campus administrative offices, such as, Admissions, Registrar, President or Provosts office. If, however, the mediation program will be used solely in residence halls, then the group of mediators would need to be representative of the residence hall population, not the entire campus.

Second, for each category fill in the number of mediators who represent that category. Calculate the percent that category represents. For example, if a total of 20 students are in the mediation cohort and 15 are Caucasian than the category "Caucasian" will represent 75% of the mediation cohort. Ideally the percentages should reflect the percentages of the population of interest.

A note about reliability and validity: The face validity of the instrument is high. That is the items on the checklist look like they are recording the data sought – demographics for a mediation training program. The items are pretty universal and the instrument is open so that if items need to be added or deleted each program will have the flexibility to do so. There has been no reliability analysis for the checklist.

What Information Will the Results Give Me?

The findings will help you determine how representative your team of mediators is compared to the population you wish to serve. You can use the information to identify whether you need a targeted recruitment effort to diversify your group of mediators.

Mediator Selection Checklist

Total Campus Population__________ (or other unit of interest, e.g., residence halls, faculty)

Number of Mediators ___________

Mediator to Campus Population Ratio ___:___

For Mediators, List Number/Percentage of:

Note: Categories provided here are simply suggestions, you may want to modify or add categories as appropriate