THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE FACULTY SENATE Senate Document Number 1698S Date of Senate Approval 2/12/98 Statement of Faculty Senate Action: APC Document 14: Course in Interdisciplinary Studies in Mediation Effective Date: Fall Semester 1998 1. Add: IST 283.0 Mediation (3) This course unifies theoretical models of facilitative conflict resolution with practical and ethical considerations of undertaking the role of neutral third party. Psychological, sociological, and cultural aspects of peaceful conflict resolution are examined. Historical and current usage of mediation in a variety of settings are investigated. Power, gender and class issues are explored. See the Mediation Center and the Counseling Center for course schedules. 2. Impact: The proposed changes will not affect major, minor or University requirements. The changes will not affect other departments or programs. The course will be taught by professional staff of the UNCA Mediation Center and Counseling Center, with a minimum of 5 years experience in mediation and NC Mediation Trainer Certification. 3. Rationale: The Mediation Course plays a key role in the UNCA academic curriculum as an elective which fully supports and synthesizes a number of major and minor courses of study. This proposal addresses the interdisciplinary nature of the course, below, by listing the co-curricular relevance. a. Sociology -- Cultural norms, gender issues, institutional influences, racial biases, ethnocentrism, economic class attitudes, resistance to change, and other sociological barriers to resolution impact our dispute management systems and beliefs about conflict. These are some of the challenges that are essential to understand in development of effective alternative resolution processes such as mediation. b. Psychology -- Counselor skills and effective communication techniques are cornerstones of the mediation process. Emotional aspects of conflict play a role in virtually every dispute mediated. In addition to understanding and being able to defuse anger and aggression, appropriate self-expression and empathic listening are key tenets of mediation. c. Management -- Familiarity with mediation is essential for managers, supervisors, union representatives and human resources personnel from multi-national corporations to small worker-owned businesses. State of the art grievance procedures and dispute resolution systems routinely incorporate mediation components, as do state and federal disability regulations and NC statutes regulating state personnel. Students in UNCA's Management program would be underserved if they did not have the opportunity to obtain a full, working knowledge of the theory, history and practice of mediation as it relates to management concepts and practices. d. Education -- Resolution of disputes has become the fourth "R" in public and private schools across the US, as public and governmental demand for alternatives to violence continues to increase. Additionally, character education objectives, including effective conflict resolution techniques have been given top priority in all NC schools. The National Institute for Dispute Resolution estimates that there are over 8,500 school-based conflict resolution programs in the US, located in the nation's 86,000 schools. Education majors are well advised to apprise themselves of theory and practice of mediation, anti-bias education issues, and social justice concerns related to mediation. e. Environmental Studies -- Environmental disputes between corporate entities, neighborhood associations, environmentalists, governmental regulators and land use specialists often require intervention of a neutral well versed in the art of mediation and/or facilitation. Whether representing a chemical company or a regulatory agency, stakeholders to environmental disputes must be familiar with processes used to address critical land/air/water use issues. Together, the various disciplines listed above contribute perspectives and theories relevant to conventional and emergent dispute resolution techniques. Conflict is, after all, a universal experience that crosses all disciplinary lines, from nursing to forestry, computer science to drama. The Mediation course uniquely integrates interdisciplinary theories and practices, promotes understanding of the connections among traditional disciplines of the liberal arts, and in so doing helps prepare students for meaningful careers and professions. 4. Criteria for IST courses will be briefly addressed: a. The Mediation course is topic driven and focuses on topics which cross discipline lines, such as aggression, conflict resolution barriers, institutional bias, managerial power, classism, sexual harassment in the workplace, and domestic or dating violence. b. The course is structured so that distinct disciplines are recognizable in resource material, required readings, pedagogy, case examples, guest speakers, and research topics. c. The course encourages exploration of approaches to critical thinking, participatory and interactive student learning, with a combination of teaching modalities, including lecture/presentation, classroom discussion, experiential role play, practical application, didactic exercises and interactive group projects, with critical group debriefing and self evaluation components. d. The course encourages an interdisciplinary approach to thinking and facilitates the development of the student's ability to synthesize alternative disciplinary points of view. For example, students frequently work in pairs or small groups with students from various disciplines on campus for short- and longer-term projects. Assignments and required readings on conflict theory and cross-cultural dynamics necessitate student exploration of literature and resources outside of their major. e. The course recognizes the context of diverse cultural settings, and significant time is devoted to exploration of power issues, ramifications of stereotyping, and understanding how those diverse settings impact the successful facilitation of cross-cultural disputes. f. The course focuses on topics which transcend traditional disciplinary groupings and has traditionally attracted students from each of the disciplines listed above in Rationale. 5. Resource Impact: The course is taught by Barbara A. Davis, JD and BA in Communication Studies, Coordinator of the UNCA Mediation Center, and assisted by Maggie Weshner, Ed.D., Director of the UNCA Counseling Center, with guest lecturers from disciplines including Management, Education, Sociology and Environmental Studies. It is structured in keeping with the Criteria listed above, and will have no additional resource impact. There is no need to hire any new employees. No additional resources for equipment, supplies or materials are needed, and there is no need to expand the adjunct budget.