Rough Chronology of Events Related to Campus Conflict Resolution and Mediation Program Development
1967
Universities begin to experiment with the use of campus ombudspersons, beginning with Michigan State University, to respond to growing student unrest on campus
1969
An early conference entitled The Ombudsman in Higher Education: Advocate or Subversive Bureaucrat is held to explore the role of the campus ombuds
1971
Sixty-nine colleges or universities have appointed ombudsman officials by this time
1973
California Caucus of College and University Ombuds (CCCUO) established, annual meetings begin at Asilomar Conference Center
1974
The number of campus Ombuds exceeds 100 (eventually leveling out at a current estimate of 200 programs)
1979
University of Hawaii begins development of a campus-based mediation program
1979
Center for Mediation in Higher Education established by American Arbitration Association to encourage use of mediation for faculty, staff and administrative grievances
1980
Special issue of New Directions in Higher Education journal on Campus Conflict Management published, focusing mainly on staff and faculty concerns, but includes an article on new U. Mass. Amherst Legal Studies Mediation project serving students and one on the current state of student grievance procedures
1980
University of Hawaii and University of Massachusetts campus mediation projects underway, Grinnell College, Brigham Young University, Oberlin College soon follow (focus is mainly on student disputes, but other types included as well)
1981
Folger and Schubert’s survey of 741 colleges and universities finds that over half of the institutions had implemented some kind (formal or ad hoc) of third party procedure for handling student initiated grievances
1983
Oberlin College hosts 2 ½ day residential life colloquium focusing on use of mediation in campus residence halls
1983
Maria Sakovich publishes working paper modifying the San Francisco Community Boards model for use on college campuses, some technical support offered to interested campuses by SFCB
1984
NAME (National Association for Mediation in Education) is formed and has First National Conference (focus is strictly on elementary & secondary schools)
1984
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation begins to fund university-based conflict resolution theory-building centers
1984
McCarthy et al’s Managing Faculty Disputes published by Jossey-Bass
1985
University of Massachusetts Mediation Project and National Institute for Dispute Resolution (NIDR) publish Peaceful Persuasion: a guide to creating university and college mediation and dispute resolution programs
1985
University of Massachusetts Mediation Program holds Student Affairs Administrators workshop to encourage adoption of mediation techniques by Student Affairs personnel
1985
University and College Ombuds Association (UCOA) formally established
1986
Some workshops on managing disputes in higher education appear at 3rd National Conference on Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution (NCPCR), emphasis is mainly on ombudsing
1986
Folger and Shubert publish NIDR-funded report Resolving Student Initiated Grievances in Higher Education
1987
Chronicle of Higher Education publishes a story “Colleges are Trying New Ways to Settle Campus Grievances: Mediation Techniques Used As Alternative to Litigation,” indicating new interest in campus mediation
1988
Videocast of 3-hr Conflict Resolution in Higher Education seminar featuring Howard Gadlin and Janet Rifkin is broadcast by National University Teleconferencing Network (produced by Virgil Peterson, U of West Virginia)
1988
PBS FRONTLINE series airs “Racism 101” exploring the disturbing increase in racial incidents and violence on America's college campuses.
1989
NCPCR in Montreal includes a preconference training on how to establish a Campus Mediation Center, and a regular conference workshop on ADR in Higher Education. (Strong interest is expressed in building a more formal national campus mediation network and conference)
1990
First National Conference on Campus Mediation Programs hosted by Syracuse Campus Mediation Program (107 people attend, 18 campus mediation programs identified as in existence at this time)
1990
Conflict and Change Center at Univ. of Minnesota includes a Higher Education Track in their Integrating Conflict Management Into Planned Organizational Change Conference.
1990
Chronicle of Higher Education publishes a story “Negotiation, Not Violence, Is the Rule Today When Students Clash with Administrators” noting shift away from use of police and force to end student protests
1991
Second Annual (Inter)national Campus Mediation Conference held at University of Waterloo, in Ontario (~100 people attend)
1991
Characteristics of the 35 known campus mediation programs documented in 3rd edition of Warters and Hedeen survey.
1991
Special Issue of NAME’s Fourth R published on Conflict Resolution and Higher Education
1991
In Gmelch's survey of 808 department chairs at 101 research and doctoral-granting universities, chairs identify intercollegial conflict as THE major category of stress.
1992
Third National Campus Mediation Conference held at the University of Oregon, Eugene
1993
Fourth National Campus Mediation Conference held at St. Mary's University, TX, where decision is made by Higher Ed network to formally affiliate with NAME
1993
American Association of Law Schools (AALS) new ADR Section lists more than 30 law schools that currently have or are developing mediation clinics that mediate cases referred from local courts
1994
Campus Conflict Resolution Network (CCRNet) listserv discussion list is established at Nova Southeastern University (~350 participants, relatively low traffic list)
1994
Network of Campus Mediators formerly joins NAME and hosts track of workshops at NAME's National Conference in Amherst. NAME newsletter the Fourth R begins to publish regular section for higher education members (Estimates suggest 50+ campus mediation programs in existence by this point)
1994
Association for Student Judicial Affairs (ASJA) passes formal resolution supporting the use of mediation by university student judicial programs
1994
University of Georgia System Board of Regents supports the creation a Blue Ribbon Committee to study alternative forms of dispute resolution for Georgia State system, then passes Resolution for a System-wide ADR Initiative
1995
UCOA publishes The Ombuds Handbook: A Practical Guide to Establishing and Operating an Ombuds Office on a College or University Campus
1995
NAME conference in Seattle again includes Higher Education track
1996
NAME merges with NIDR, creates Conflict Resolution Education Network (CREnet)
1996
All major North American ombuds associations hold “Super Conference” to explore the development of shield laws to protect ombuds confidentiality rights
1997
Association for Student Judicial Affairs establishes formalized On Campus ADR Subcommittee, hosts post-conference mediation trainings for ASJA members
1997
Campus Mediation Resources Web Site established at Wayne State University
1997
NIDR estimates that there are over 8,500 elementary and secondary school-based conflict resolution programs in the United States, creating a feeder system into colleges
1998
CREnet and ASJA form joint committee to explore development of Standards of Practice for Campus Mediation Programs
1998
Invitational Symposium on Best Practices in Higher Education Dispute Systems Design hosted by Georgia State University
1998
First Summer Institute on Dispute Resolution in Higher Education held at Wayne State University
1998
Approximately 165 campuses now have documented campus mediation projects
1998
The National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) awards first prize ($10,000) to a campus conflict resolution project (University of Texas, San Antonio) in their annual Higher Education Awards Program recognizing initiatives that improve the quality and reduce the cost of higher education programs and services.
