.University
Program settles students' disputes
B\ Marina Swain
Imer.ild ( ontributor
It might scent surprising that
.t round wooden table helps re
solve interperson.il disputes
Hut tor (acquie (iib.son. such
furniture is an essential tool ot
her trade As duet toi ot tile
AM () Mediation Program. t lib
son attempts to equalize people
III ( onflict as best she i an
The round table serves as a
\ isuul metaphor tin putting
problems on the table and sob
mg them she said It and the
oil it e provide neutral tei rilnr\
lor people in t nnflit t to resolve
their ditfcreni es
It establ islies me as I he t on
I roller of the process she
saitl Ml thc\ have to worn
about is expressing themselves
and listening to the other per
soil
In its set ond ve.u as a regu
lai l\ funded serve e. the Medi
ation Program is one ot oul\
( nhson said
l niversitv sennit Tina Roe
lumi'il in mediation to resolve ,i
inriflirt within |uuet Smith. ,i
student-run > <n>|»i• r.itivt• living
organization (ini' resilient h.ni
i .iiised housemates to (eel mi
i nmtnrt.ihie. she said
Mediation allowed the van
oils allot ted parties to sit down
and talk ahmil their problems
I nlortunatelv. the group cotiid
not (nine to resolution he< .ruse
the resident was unwilling to
sympathize w ith differing
points ol view Koe said
1 think it there was am
hope for resolving the situation
it c mild he really helpfuI Koe
said of the mediation program
I lie situation itself w as
doomed
Koe said mediation requires
seilsitivitv to otllei s needs
Moth parties need to go into it
with an open mind or it s not
going to work I think he went
into it to prove that lie was
mi; in more legulistii solu
lurns '•In- ->.1111
In l.ii t more l.iu -i hmils .in’
ottering mediation ,ts ,1 possible
remedv (hhson said The
good thing about mediation i'
ll!,it agreements an- mnn- |><>i
Mlllllll/l’l!
Sht! pointed to (dogged
i mirts hi w hit li disputants n>
turn time and again bis ause ol
dissatisiai tm>11 w iih tin- mil
i mnr His ause law \ its and
judges aie making must nt tin
del isnnis i bents remain tin
happv. (itbson said In media
turn, vim have In lie responsi
ble tnr l imit es
Medmtinn i an also be more
el lei In e than 11 aditinn.il i i nm
seling (dbsnn said, bei ause it
is tm used nu spel 11 li issues
during the short ter in ' \\ hat
happened in the past is lint
nearlv sn important as what
were going In dftt.itie tnil.n
and do tomorrow
Medi.itinn is building a solid
‘The good thing about mediation is that agreements are
personalized.'
more
— (acquit? Gibson
nineteen on i ollege rumpuses
nationwide, (iihson said And
with ll7 lases seen (lining the
last si honi ve.ii she thinks the
need fur niedi.ition is gieat and
grow mg.
"During the middle ot the
year is when people get most
iiiHaiinturtahle. (Iihson said ol
the rise in disputes she sees
throughout the winter months
.Sipiahhling roommates .ire a
t\ pii al dispute that she han
dies I ven more i onimoil tins
veai are students who feel pro
lessors have treated them uu
tairlv
SI lllirllts lltll'll t itlil ll ll ill I
I lilt III e vpit'SS I Ill'll I l Mil fills In
professors timing olliie hours
(lilison said I’lii' prnfessoi \
utlii e is tin- professor's oldie
his 111 lici li.isi- ill posse i
I hf iuMitr.it setting ill the Mi'
rliiitiuii Program "allows Ihf
professor In t itlin' dim ii <nul
llif studfiil In (unit; tip shf
said "It helps to h.diime the
posset lull wet'll people in ills
p.irale power positions
Sometimes problems are ol a
mure personal nature (lilison
rei .died a < ase involving two
work studs students who had
broken oil mmantii relations
Neither wanted lu give up the
inti doth were willing lu sunk
at making then relationship al
the ollii e tolerable I lies ended
up using indirei t signals dial
let the other person knuss when
lie ui she was uni oinfortalile.
right
(libson .igrot's I’tti mi'til.iti<>■ >
to for t'llt'i Iive both pt'ople
must i ommit thcmst'lvt's to
solving tlm profob'in. sin- s.iiil
Mi'di.ition (locsii l work un
loss both pooplc vv.mt to got to
gi'tlii'i .mil m.ikr it uork
Mediations i bud advantage
is tb.it it allows people to imin'
111> with thi'ir own solutions to
problems Km s.nd Media
lion .illows \ou to work tilings
out on \ our ow n with .1 third
jmitN to fnnui'l tilings b.ii k ,md
tin'tb It's bidping nou 1 nine to
V0111 mi ll (In istons
Although the Medialion Pin
glam t\ |>u .11i\ handles situa
lions invoking housing or pro
lessor student disagreements. it
is not limited to part it ul.it
types nt eontliil (bhsnn said
I he program which is tree to
the t niversitv ■ ommundy
handles .mv dispute th.it falls
between the i rut hs of w h.it the
Legal Services oi tlie Office ot
Student Atlvot at v i ail do
I here were at I kinds of si u
dent problems not being solved
because there wasn't anyone
there to rlo it (Iibson salt!
(iibson said mediation is a
pit- legal alternative \\ 11It a
masters degree in interpersonal
i ommunit at ion she makes no
pretense ot lieing a l.iwvei mil
does she w isli to Disputants
"al wavs h.n e the opt loll ot go
LETTER
Graphics
• TYPESETTING • PASTE UP • LAYOUT • DESIGN • CONSULTATION • LAYOUT
• TYPESETTING • PASTE UP • LAYOUT • DESIGN • CONSULTATION • LAYOUT
• TYPESETTING • PASTE UP • LAYOUT • DESIGN • CONSULTATION ■ LAYOUT
• TYPESETTING • PASTE UP • LAYOUT • DESIGN • CONSULTATION • LAYOUT
• TYPESETTING • PASTE UP • LAYOUT • DESIGN • CONSULTATION • LAYOUT
• TYPESETTING • PASTE UP • LAYOUT • DESIGN • CONSULTATION • LAYOUT
• TYPESETTING • PASTE UP • LAYOUT • DESIGN • CONSULTATION • LAYOUT
• TYPESETTING • PASTE UP • LAYOUT • DESIGN • CONSULTATION • LAYOUT
• TYPESETTING • PASTE UP • LAYOUT • DESIGN • CONSULTATION • LAYOUT
. TYPESETTING • PASTE UP • LAYOUT • DESIGN • CONSULTATION • LAYOUT
3-13-3381
»,( h It 1 *f i HU Mt M-. '*'Ai / -Av.--. N
tr.il k rei nlil ( dllsun s.ilil I hr
hist stair Legislature funded thr
ni'uh created Oregon Dispute
Krsolutiun ( aimmissimi vvhii lr
looks into implementing mrdi
at lull at .111p111 ahir stair anil
i oiintv agent it's, shr saul
I hr i nmmissiiiii mlnuls foi
inrillatiiill In rrilui r thr limit
luail in t\ 11u alls stii k\ prut)
Inns sui I) .is i lull! oustodv vis
Ital n ill lights a nil i ll I hi sup
purl Various Oregon counties
including Lane have alrradv
noted a dri rrasr in court time
and expenditure shr said
Students interested in partu
ipating ui inrdialion nia\ i on
tai I (lilison at l to U til
You are invited to intend n Town Hall
meeting with your State Representative
House Majority Leader
DAVID DIX
Tuesday, February 27th
4:00 p.m.
Gumwood Room, E.M.U.
Please come and discuss the lit lure ol higher
education, the University, and other state
issues with David. The meeting is free ami
open to the public.
Sponviivil In A S l ()
\t< INI ) \> s II Ik'i H {,11 f kll) \\ s
Luncheon
Specials
Met* Siam
M.iI.im.im si\ ii
Hof \ Sour
f r mm! Si»o(JU*s
V\ ( tin krn
i fist.l:’* \(\f !< > l (ft ( ) fy, H S.S Ki •
3.95
CHINA BLUE
RESTAURANT
H'"'» I I !lh i t i .')( i..
TheW)rld Is Still
The Greatest Classroom
>$W)fAlL
Applications ,nr now bring «n i rptrd
tot the l niversitv o| Pittsburgh
sponsored Semester at Sr a
hath tall ot spring 1* H i dav cxivssey
aUxard the Ament an built S S I 'inverse
literally offers you the world
riou win earn l.: iranMeranie units
from your t hou r of more* than fWJ lower and
upper division courses, while calling upon
plat es as culturally diverse as Japan, Hong Kong.
India. I'urkev. the Soviet l/nton. Yugoslavia
anil Spain
It is a learning adventure designed to
transform students of every color. rat e and
creed into true »itizens and scholars of
the world
Kor full Information. Inclu<tln« a ralaloK anil application. rail
I H«<) N54 0195/1 412 648-7490In PA.Or write Srmmlrr at Sea,
Iiwtltulr for Shipboard Kduratlon,
Unlvrrully of l*UtJ<biir|(h. -
2K Forbe* Quadrangle.
PUlnburgh. tVnuay Ivanla
152BO ** 5
1 hen prepare f« »r the
learning adventure <»t
your life
Semester at Sea
Video & Informational Meeting
Toes. Feb 27th, 3pm EMU Forum Room
Information Table EMU Lobby 10am-2pm