Sun, Oct 30, 2011
U.K. Higher Education Sector Consultation on Early Resolution and Effective Complaint Handling
The Office of the Independent Adjudicator in the U.K. was established by the Higher Education Act of 2004 which mandated the appointment of an independent body to run a student complaints handling system in England and Wales. They are now conducting a consultation to gather “views from across the Higher Education sector and beyond on key and sensitive issues related to effective strategies to promote the goals of early resolution of complaints and appeals and better all-round case handling in universities.” This project is known as the Pathway 3 Consultation based on recommendations in an earlier Higher Education White Paper, Students at the Heart of the System (2011). The consultation document can be viewed here (pdf). The issues include:
- the creation of campus ombudsmen and associated support networks,
- the development of mediation on campus;
- the creation of a good practice framework for complaints and appeals processes including the incorporation of effective time-frames for handling,
- the development of an OIA ‘kite-mark’ accreditation,
- the introduction of a revised funding mechanism for the OIA Scheme which contains a case-fee element.
Feedback on the issues must be submitted by December 16, 2011 in order to receive consideration. Submissions to the consultation can be made by clicking the consultation link on the front page of the OIA website http://www.oiahe.org.uk or by writing to the OIA at Third Floor, Kings Reach, 38-50 Kings Road, Reading, RG1 3AA.
International Guild of Visual Peacemakers - Ethical Code for Visual Communicators
The International Guild of Visual Peacemakers is a group of photographers, filmmakers and storytellers who are committed to a shared ethical code for visual communicators that seeks to prevent the demonization of “the other” as we tell stories and report news about conflict. Visual storytellers can get ideas for developing their own peacemaker narratives with these 10 How To’s for Visual Peacemaking featured in a IGVP blog post.
Here’s the “Actions” section of the ethical code:
ACTIONS
The way in which visual content is created directly impacts both our subjects and the outcome of the work itself. Visual peacemakers must be mindful of the person and the picture. The following actions and behaviors are essential to the visual peacemaking process—before, during, and after.
1. We research and respect the culture we are documenting.
2. We value our subjects by taking measures to interact with or involve them, and by treating storytelling and image-making as a collaboration.
3. We use discernment in candid photography and videography, and all published material, because another’s dignity and honor matters to us.
4. We inquire about how others are impacted by our images, examining the actual results of our best intentions.
5. We are intentional about highlighting common humanity through images and storytelling.
6. We explore both macro and micro factors that affect a place or people in an effort for multidimensional coverage.
7. We refrain from making an image if asked not to.
8. We foster the courage to delete some images that may reinforce destructive stereotypes, or publish them only along with other images that tell a more complete story.
9. We refine and upgrade our own vision, because well-crafted images have greater potential for effective visual peacemaking.
10. We live generously by helping others around us, wherever we are, and by volunteering to support the visual peacemaking movement with our talents and resources.
The IGVP website provides photo galleries, a photo-story builder, and featured documentaries that provide a lovely changing mosaic of ideas and images. There is a fee to make full use of the gallery and portfolio tools on the site.
Here’s a video introducing the Guild of Visual Peacemakers.
Sat, Oct 22, 2011
Governance Commons - a new project from the CRInfo team
Guy and Heidi Burgess of the Conflict Information Consortium at the University of Colorado have partnered with the One Earth Future Foundation to produce a new resource portal known as the Governance Commons focused on addressing challenges facing individuals and groups committed to good governance. A prospectus explaining the project is available here as a pdf. The core focus of the project is to provide resources and information to address a number of core challenges that make providing good governance hard work.
Governance Challenges
In addressing governance failures, the Commons focuses on improving our ability to handle nine often unmet challenges:
- Improving Security
- Limiting Violence and Intimidation
- Protecting Individual and Group Rights
- Providing Basic Human Needs
- Promoting Cooperative Relationships
- Broadening the Sense of Community
- Fostering a Sense of Fairness
- Encouraging Agreement-based Problem Solving
- Assuring Efficiency and Effectiveness
Public Service Announcement for Community Mediation Maryland
Maryland’s community mediation programs now have access to a customizable 30-second PSA promoting the use of their services. You can view it online at Vimeo. Save money and hassle, mediate!
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