Volume 3, Number 3, May 2003
New Guidelines for Conflict
Management in Higher
Education Released
The Campus-adr.org Guidelines
Working Group described in a previous
story has now finished their task, voting on May 13th
to release their material for public distribution.
The Guidelines are designed to support the development of
comprehensive, educational, integrated and conflict-friendly
approaches to managing conflict and disputes in institutions
of higher education. The target audience includes key decision
makers such as senior administrators, deans and department
heads, ombudspersons, anti-harassment officers, housing and
security administrators, faculty, student affairs professionals,
and various frontline conflict services staff. It is believed
that together these individuals greatly influence how institutions
manage and learn from the conflicts that occur daily in such
complex environments, and that these guidelines may be of
use to them in their work.
The group based its work around a set of nine core principles
that are noted below. The 30-page document, available
for download as a PDF file, expands on these themes, providing
guidance and insight for campus conflict resolution program
developers and administrators across the spectrum of higher
education institutions.
INSTITUTIONAL and PROGRAM/PRACTITIONER GUIDELINES for CONFLICT
MANAGEMENT in HIGHER EDUCATION
I. Build Institutional Conflict Management
Capacity and a Conflict-Friendly Context
II. Honor the Fundamental Principles and
Core Values of Higher Education and Conflict Management
Programs
III. Employ Benchmark Practices During
Conflict Management Program and Systems Design
IV. Promote Diversity, Inclusivity and
Community in Your Operations
V. Draw on and Encourage a Broad Spectrum
of Conflict Management Options
VI. Clarify Your Administrative Practices
and Protocols
VII. Engage in Ongoing Training and Professional
Development
VIII. Connect with Service Learning, Theory-building
and Academic Conflict Studies Programs
IX. Stay Vital and Relevant Through Evaluation
and Continuous Improvement
The Working Group will now begin the work of disseminating
the guidelines, and would welcome suggestions and support
from readers of the report. Further contact information is
provided in the document.
|
