Mediation office gains funds for pilot program
Focus fixed on student grievances, disputes
By Sarah Kitchen
Of I)m Kmarald
An office of mediation is ex
pected to begin its six-month
pilot program at the University
during winter term.
The Incidental Fee Commit
tee granted funding Thursday
for the office to operate for the
six-month trial period. The of
fice is co-sponsored by the
ASUO Executive and the
University.
The idea for the office was
presented to the ASUO last
month by Sheila Hale, a
graduate student in the Inter
disciplinary Specialized In
dividualized Program at the
University. Hale has studied
and worked with mediation
while working on her master's
thesis.
The ASUO then took the idea
to Dean of Students Shirley
Wilson, who agreed there was a
need for a mediation office at
the University. Hale will be the
mediator for the pilot program.
While the University does
have places that handle student
grievances, it does not have an
office specifically for media
tion. Wilson said.
The mediation office will
handle student-to-student
disputes such as roommate
disagreements, or differences
that arise between student
groups. Student-faculty
disputes also will be mediated.
Hale said.
This type of office is impor
tant because there is no other
place a student can go with a
student-to-student complaint to
express his or her unhappiness.
Wilson said.
The mediation office would
not involve a conflict of interest
because the mediator does not
side with one person over
another. Hale said. The job of a
mediator requires the mediator
to remain neutral, she said
"Roth the legal services and
the office of (student) advocacy
are in an adversarial posture -
they represent a student against
someone else. The mediation
process is one where the
disputants themselves come up
with a resolution, and the
mediator stands in the middle
and helps them construct, if
possible, an agreement for
behavior and resolution in the
future." Hale explained.
A committee will be ap
pointed consisting of three
students and two administrators
to oversee the mediation office
and for the mediation office to
consult with. The students will
be appointed by ASUO Presi
dent Steve Nelson, and the ad
ministrators by Wilson’s office,
said Debra Liebowitz, ASUO
coordinator of programs.
“This committee will help
me create a program that would
be perfect for the University of
Oregon.” Hale said. "There are
some precedents for a program,
and that committee will help
We Craft
•Resumes
•Flyers
• Menus
•Newsletters
FAST!!
Klnkos Copies
Opan 7 Day*
gain access and bring ideas and
do the evaluation."
The ASUO became interested
in co-sponsoring the mediation
office at the University because
nothing like this exists on cam
pus. Liebowitz said. She
believes the idea is a good
model of conflict resolution bet
ween students, or students and
administration, dealing with
problems before they reach the
grievance stage, she said.
Wilson was introduced to the
idea of mediation last year
when Hale was involved with
several cases of student-faculty
mediation, she said. She has
been involved with the
grievance procedure for 17
years and at first was not sum
that Hale's mediation would
work.
"1 was amazed with her suc
cess. 1 was not sure that she
would be successful, but she
was successful so she got my at
tention," Wilson said.
Hale said a mediation office
does not exist on any campus in
Oregon, although they do exist
in different forms on campuses
around the country.
"The largest and most ex
cessive program that exists is at
the University of
Massachusetts." said Hale.
|ane DeCidio. director of stu
dent development, said Hale's
idea for a mediation office was
discussed by Nelson and
Wilson beginning last month,
and since then then? have been
three meetings between the
University and the ASUO.
DeUidio said no location has
been decided on for the office,
but she believes it will be in the
EMU.
The mediation office will
have no status and no authority
within the University in order
to assure that it will not have to
side with one party over
another, Hale said.
Students could use the office
at a pre-grievance level in order
to try and prevent the problem
from going further; however,
the office of mediation also will
be able to refer students to other
sources if the problem has pro
greased. Civil, not criminal,
problems and complaints will
be handled by the office.
"The essence of most con
flicts is that they have duration
and are on the interpersonal
level.” Hale said. "For exam
ple, if two people have to live or
work together, their relation
ship will affect their
performance.
"Most people run away from
a conflict — in order to go from
here to there people have to tell
their feelings." she added.
The job of u mediator is to
listen to each side and in doing
so have the parties listen to each
other. Hale said This helps
each person set? the situation
through the other's eyes, she
said.
Then issues that need to be
discussed are prioritized, and as
each issue is worked on, a point
of view within the issue is talk
ed about, she explained
Since the mediation office
will lie new to the University.
Hale said she hopes students
will give their opinions on the
office to the committee so that
improvements can be made
where they are seen to be
needed
Gerard Moseley, vice provost
for student affairs, said he
believes the office of mediation
will fill the KaP missing for
student-to-student complaints.
The advocacy office cannot han
dle student-to-student com
plaints because student foes are
not to be used to pay for a
grievance against another stu
dent, Moseley said.
"A mediation office would
try to avoid a more formal
grievance process at a more dif
ficult level — it would cope
with differences when they
haven't become so inflamed,"
he added.
The office also will refer
students to the proper channels
to go through when they have
grievances with a faculty
member. Moseley said.
DIABETES SUPPORT GROUP
Students with Diabetes Mellitus are invited to a
meeting of a support group on Friday.
December 12, 1986. from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm
in the library of the Student Health Center
There will be lots of time for questions and to
share concerns.
si TINO’S H
SPAGHETTI
m HOUSE IB
PIZZA
342-8111
-^
Introducing . . .
FREE
Delivery
Service! *
•Tree delivery with a minimum or<l«-r
Also oflering
• Full dinner menu
• White or whole wheat crust
• Limited delivery area
15th and Willamette
Hours:
Open 11 am
7 days a week
‘The essence of
most conflicts is that
they have duration
and are on the in
terpersonal level.
— Sheila Hale
Sheila Hale
| 110-126
■ 12 Exp.
I Developed
j * Printed
i $<|99
Second Set
ot Prints St
The Time of
first
Processing
15?
EACH
135-24
Developed
A Printed
3x5
$499
took enact
4x6 or 3x5
Developed
4 Printed
135-36
S549
rOUH CHOtCt
4x6 or 3x5
135-12
Developed
6 Printed
$2"
Comfort with
food and
thought,
I RQQKm&TEA I
Enjoy a quiet Christmas retreat
Relax while shof>[>ing... Sun thru Tu«
, , . 8: K> »m to 6:00 pm
Select wur gifts from our Wr.K ,hru s.t
delightful hook selection w to *m t.> I0:00 pm
1646 East 19th, Eugene • 344-3422
-emu
Food Service
Weight Watchers:
here’s some good news for
you!
IVt* have a wide variety of low
calorie dishes for you to choose
from
• Sushi |Th* IVh) l> a m 11pm daily
• Vmjfiartan Burgvr Salads (Fountain Court
Cale)
• V*«i*larian Spa<jh*tn lasayri* and
Cation* (Skylight Ks'lfctory)
11am 2pm Mon Fri
I
SO COME ON DOWN AND CHECK US OUT!
GIFT CERTIFICATES
o«'°" <?(
Give a hoi winter's soak to family and friends.
They'll love you for it! One hour for two 10 00
Open noon midnight Seven days a week
HOURLY HOI TUO MNTAL
1663 Gorden Ave. (off Fronklin Dlvd.) 345*9046